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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1974
NEED FOR IMMIGRATION CONTROLS UNDERLINED
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THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR. DENIS BRAY, TODAY AGAIN WARNED AGAINST THE DANGER OF UNCONTROLLED IMMIGRATION INTO HONG KONG.
THIS, HE SAID, WOULD NOT ONLY UPSET THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO FURTHER IMPROVE THE LOT OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO DEPRIVE MANY RESIDENTS OF EMPLOYMENT.
MR. BRAY WAS SPEAKING AT A PASSING OUT PARADE OF IMMIGRATION OFFICERS AT THE ROYAL HONG KONG REGIMENT PARADE GROUND IN HAPPY VALLEY.
HE NOTED THAT POPULATION CONTROL WAS NOT SIMPLY A QUESTION OF FAMILY PLANNING, ALTHOUGH THIS WAS IMPORTANT, AND IMPRESSED ON THE RECRUITS THAT IT WAS THEIR DUTY TO ENSURE THAT +PROPER AND ADEQUATE CONTROL IS EXERCISED OVER THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF HONG KONG THAT ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE PERMISSION TO LIVE AND WORK HERE DO SO.+
HE CAUTIONED THE RECRUITS, HOWEVER, THAT LIKE SO MUCH OTHER WORK CONCERNING THE SECURITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL, DECISIONS WERE NOT ALWAYS CLEAR CUT. +SOMETIMES, THERE ARE FACTORS PRESENT WHICH ARE NOT, AND INDEED CANNOT, BE COVERED BY THE INSTRUCTIONS YOU WORK TO, WHERE POSSIBLY HUMANITARIAN CONSIDERATIONS DICTATE THAT THE RULES SHOULD BE WAIVED,+ HE SAID.
MR. BRAY EXPECTED IMMIGRATION OFFICERS TO SHOW CONSIDERABLE COMMONSENSE, IMAGINATION AND INITIATIVE IN PERFORMING THEIR DUTIES AND REMINDED THEM OF THE IMPORTANCE TO REMAIN COURTEOUS, PATIENT AND SYMPATHETIC EVEN UNDER THE MOST ADVERSE CONDITIONS.
NOTE TO EDITORS: COPIES OF THE FULL TEXT OF MR. BRAY'S SPEECH
ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION FROM THE GIS PRESS ROOM, BEACONSFIELD HOUSE, 6TH FLOOR.
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