i
S
Governor: No, I think that it would be very bad for the credibilitv to put in or authority of the Government of Hong Kong if we appear to
were not fair and would not place electoral arrangements which were guarantee to give US
Legislative Council or credible a credible district organisations in the years ahead. That would underline our credibility or authority. I don't believe for one moment that China would want as the first act. of soverighty after 1st July 1997 to turt out in the Legislative Council Legislative Councillors who've been elected by the people of Hong Kong. I would've thought that was a very: sensible way to try to win hearts and minds.
credibility
ly one Question: Sir, but what you have done had made honorary retreat of the British Government impossible because you can't guarantee
guarantee through
through train for the three tiers electoral
arrangements?
Governor: Oh, I don't know what you mean by the three tiers of the cloctoral arrangements. am cuite sure where a through train for district organisations fits in relations to the Basic Law. I think the answer is nowhere but we are very happy to see
see a through
through train. We won't do anything which tears up the railway lines and I hope the either. I have to say Chinese side won't tear up the railway lines either. that during 17th round of talks, we were, alas, aware of quite a gap between the two sides on the through train and that wasn't because we were suggesting things that were unreasonable but I think there is a question to ask the Chinese side about what they want to do about the through train. At which momone, after the last question.
Question : Governor Patton, so you have a yuuyli job at beme brzi get these proposals through Legco?
not
Governor: I don't think
I don't think that governing Hong Kong has ever been a pushover and I don't think it's going to be for the next three and a half years. It is an important job and all important jobs are without difficulties. But we'll be starting our dialogue with the Legislative Council as from this afternoon and I am sure the Legislative Council will want to do what it believes to be in the best interest of the people of this remarkable community.
Question: About the retirement scheme. Will you consider that the Government should make some contributions to the retirement scheme that it proposed, not only the employers and employees?
Governor: I think that is a question which you will find the Secretary for Education and Manpower covered in his statement this afternoon. What I don't think anybody would want is for us in Hong Kong to fetch up facing the same sort of financing problems with welfare provision which has created some many difficulties in some European Community Countries and in north America as well. Any contribution from the to take Government. from the taxpayers that is from you will have account of that out that is the sort of issue which is being discussed this afternoon in the Legislative Council. We know very well at the moment the Government makes certain amount of provisions for the elderly and I am sure that will need to be taken account of in the
which WA arrangement
eventually put in place but we need to discuss those arrangements, those proposals with the Legislative Council. We need to discuss those proposals widely in the community because I am
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