IMMIGRATION AND TOURISM
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all those either on their payroll or whom they wished to recruit. Furthermore, all services (other than those of an emergency nature) normally provided to the public by the govern- ment would be withheld if proof of identity could not be produced.
These new measures came into operation by early November. The first results, to which the concurrent high level of activity by the Chinese security forces undoubtedly contributed, were encouraging. From a daily average of nearly 450 arrests in September, the figure fell to 25 in November. But it would be premature to conclude that the problem has been finally solved. On two previous occasions recently, what had appeared to be a halt to the inflow proved to be only temporary. It is likely that would-be immigrants in the communes are now waiting to see how resolute and tenacious the people and government of Hong Kong are prepared to be in the long-run. Considering the strength of the public's support for the new measures, however, the government is encouraged in its hope and resolve to continue to enforce them indefinitely.
Immigration
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A total of 21.2 million people passed through immigration control points as they entered or left Hong Kong during 1980. This was 12 per cent more than in 1979. The bulk of the increase was recorded between Hong Kong and China and Hong Kong and Macau, but there was also a substantial increase in traffic at the Hong Kong International Airport.
The Immigration Department has a staff of 3,000, of whom 1,543 are members of the Immigration Service. The work of the department falls into two main streams - controlling people moving into and out of Hong Kong, and providing travel documents and registra- tion facilities for local residents.
Immigration Control
All immigration control points were extremely busy during the year, with the heaviest pressure on the control point at Lo Wu which dealt with over 6.9 million passengers between Hong Kong and China. This volume of work represented a 85.8 per cent increase in the last three years (up from 2.2 million in 1977). The rapid growth in traffic imposed great strains on the limited facilities provided at Lo Wu and plans are going ahead for a new immigration control point to be built as part of the modernisation of the railway system. There was a considerable expansion of ferry services to China during the year, and two 'through' trains continued to leave Hung Hom each day for Guangzhou (Canton). The inadequate facilities at the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal were improved towards the end of the year by the opening of a temporary terminal for use while a new permanent terminal complex, with modern facilities, is being built. In addition, the ex- pansion and improvement of immigration facilities at Hong Kong International Airport were virtually completed during the year, making the journey through immigration controls there quicker and more convenient.
At the end of 1979 there were over 50,000 Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong. During 1980, a further 11,173 arrived - mostly in the period from May to August. As a result of the efforts of the government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 37,468 refugees were resettled overseas in the course of the year leaving a balance of 24,065 refugees awaiting resettlement at year's end. Many countries have helped in the effort to find homes for the refugees. The United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom have accepted the largest numbers but many other countries have also contributed. Some countries have made a point of accepting physically, mentally or socially handicapped refugees who have been difficult to place elsewhere.