Page 117Page 117 of 203 Record of a meeting held in Government House Hong Kong at 9.30 a.m. on Friday, 21 May 1976
PRESENT:
H.E.
Mr. Cortazzi
CS
PA
PS/GH
With reference to the FCO draft
planning paper, H.E. said that apart from the
very many drafting points there were a
number of major misconceptions in the underlying
thinking:
2.
a) that the Governor was impeded by Officials
and Unofficials in his efforts to introduce
social reforms.
b) That the only barriers to higher taxes were
the over-orthodoxy of the Hong Kong Government
and selfishness of Unofficials
c) That social and fiscal progress could be
facilitated by introducing new grass-roots
members into the legislature
In disposing of these misconceptions
H.E. made the following points:
a) There was argument, disagreement and
compromise, but not obstruction. Once a
decision was taken the Government was united
and responsibility rested with the Governor
b) In the last 4 years Unofficials had not
resisted increases in taxation put to them.
They did block a dividend tax for alleged
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