6
FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 1975
C.A.S. URGED TO CARRY ON GOOD WORK
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TODAY URGED MEMBERS OF THE CIVIL AID SERVICES TO REACT POSITIVELY TO THE FINANCIAL STRINGENCY WHICH THEY WERE NOW SUBJECT TO LIKE EVERY ONE ELSE.
+THE PROBLEM+ HE TOLD C.A.S. MEMBERS, IS NOT HOW TO GET THE CUTS REINSTATED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE --- THOUGH THIS IS A FAIR OBJECTIVE -- BUT HOW TO REORGANISE YOUR AFFAIRS SO THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE AS MUCH OF THE SAME KIND OF SERVICE AS POSSIBLE WITH LESS MONEY.+
HE SAID THAT THIS WAS WHAT EVERY DEPARTMENT WAS NOW TRYING TO DO, AND HE HAD NO DOUBT THAT ALL WOULD +EMERGE THE BETTER FOR IT.+
SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL DINNER PARTY GIVEN BY THE CIVIL AID SERVICES AT THE GLOUCESTER RESTAURANT, THE GOVERNOR ASSURED THAT A GREAT DEAL WOULD STILL BE DONE IN SPITE OF THE CURRENT RECESSION AND THAT THERE WERE GROUNDS FOR EXPECTING SOME IMPROVEMENT IN THE WORLD ECONOMY BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
SIR MURRAY ALSO NOTED THAT THROUGHOUT THE PAST YEAR, C.A.S. HAD CONTINUED TO RENDER INVALUABLE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY AND UNDER THEIR EXPANDED DIRECTIVE THEY HAD VENTURED INTO NEW FIELDS WITH CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS.
FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH:
+I AM VERY PLEASED TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN AND TO ENJOY YOUR HOSPITALITY THIS EVENING: PARTICULARLY SO BECAUSE I HAD UNFORTUNATELY TO MISS YOUR ANNUAL DINNER LAST YEAR.
+THROUGHOUT THE PAST YEAR, THE CIVIL AID SERVICES HAVE CONTINUED TO RENDER INVALUABLE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. UNDER YOUR EXPANDED DIRECTIVE YOU HAVE VENTURED INTO NEW FIELDS, AND WITH CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS. I AM SURE I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY IN THANKING YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK.
+I KNOW HOW DISAPPOINTED YOU ALL MUST BE THAT YOUR EXPANSION PROGRAMME MUST NOW SUFFER A TEMPORARY SETBACK IN THE FACE OF THE CURRENT ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL SITUATION. I SHARE YOUR DISAPPOINTMENT AS THE WORK YOU DO IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. HONG KONG CANNOT ESCAPE THE EFFECTS OF WORLD-WIDE RECESSION. FOR AS LONG AS THIS CONTINUES, I AM AFRAID WE SHALL BE UNABLE TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO AS QUICKLY AS WE WANT TO DO THEM,
+BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT A GREAT DEAL WILL STILL BE DONE, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, MR. COMMISSIONER, THAT THERE ARE FAIR GROUNDS FOR EXPECTING SOME IMPROVEMENT IN THE WORLD ECONOMY BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR.
/+BUT MEANWHILE