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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 1977
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IN THIS RESPECT, MR. LEE WELCOMED, ON BEHALF OF HIS
UNOFFICIAL COLLEAGUES, THE RECENT VISIT OF TWO SENIOR OFFICIALS FROM THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TO ACQUAINT THEMSELVES WITH HONG KONG'S UP-TO-DATE SITUATION AT FIRST HAND.
MR. LEE POINTED OUT THAT STATESMEN AROUND THE WORLD HAD BEEN CHASING AFTER A SOCIETY AS NEAR PERFECTION AS REALITY PERMITTED.
IN DOING SO, GOVERNMENTS OF ALL SHADES HAD BEEN HARD PUT TO FIND A PANACEA FOR PROBLEMS THAT KEPT CROPPING UP IN SOCIETY, HE NOTED, ADDING THAT OFTEN SOLUTIONS COULD ONLY BE FOUND BY STRIKING A BALANCE BETWEEN REALISM AND IDEALISM.
+HONG KONG, BELIEVE, HAS SO FAR BEEN ABLE TO STRIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE. WE MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO CARRY IDEALISM TOO FAR LEST IT CREATES MORE PROBLEMS THAN IT IS MEANT TO SOLVE.
+WE MUST AGREE WITH THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY WHEN HE ONCE SAID THAT ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES OF BUDGETARY POLICY IS TO MINIMISE ANY ADVERSE EFFECTS OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE AND OF THE FISCAL SYSTEM ON THE INTERNAL COST/PRICE STRUCTURE OF THE ECONOMY, ON PRIVATE INVESTMENT DECISIONS AND ON MONETARY ENVIRONMENT, MR. LEE OBSERVED.
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