SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1979
GOVERNOR OPENS BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION CONGRESS
******
THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID THAT HONG KONG'S SUCCESS, THROUGH GROWTH IN WEALTH AND PRODUCTION, WAS DUE TO THE RESILIENCE, INGENUITY AND CAPACITY FOR HARD WORK OF ITS PEOPLE.
SIR MURRAY WAS SPEAKING TODAY (SATURDAY) AT THE OPENING OF THE FIRST BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION CONGRESS HELD IN THE FAR EAST.
+THIS GROWTH OWES MUCH TO THE SUPPORT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE FRIENDSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, HE ADDED.
SIR MURRAY SAID THE STORY OF HONG KONG IS THE RESPONSE OF ITS PEOPLE TO THE CHALLENGE OF A POPULATION INCREASE FROM 600 000 AFTER THE WAR TO NEARLY FIVE MILLION TODAY A CHALLENGE WHICH HAS HAD TO BE MET WITH NO NATURAL RESOURCES EXCEPT A HARBOUR AND WITHOUT A SCRAP OF AID.+
-
+NATURALLY IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES THE SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE WAS OVERWHELMED, AND NATURALLY IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES STILL MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE, HE POINTED OUT.
SIR MURRAY SAID HONG KONG'S HISTORY HAD BEEN A STRUGGLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE CONDITIONS CREATED BY AN INFLUX OF POPULATION INTO A TERRITORY WHICH IS VERY SMALL AND HAS SO LITTLE BUILDING LAND.
+SHEER DETERMINATION TO SURVIVE PRODUCED INDUSTRY, COMMERCE AND TRADE, AND ON THE ECONOMY SO CREATED THE GOVERNMENT HAS GRADUALLY, AND LATTERLY MORE RAPIDLY, BUILT THE SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS LACKING,+ HE SAID.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF SIR MURRAY'S SPEECH.
+ IT GIVES ME PARTICULAR PLEASURE TO OPEN THIS BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION CONGRESS. IT IS THE FIRST TIME THE ASSOCIATION HAS MET IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD, OR IN HONG KONG, AND HONG KONG IS THE HOME OF THE ASSOCIATION'S LARGEST OVERSEAS BRANCH.
→IT IS A GREAT HONOUR FOR HONG KONG, AND FOR THE HONG KONG BRANCH OF THE BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, TO HOST SUCH DISTINGUISHED DELEGATES AND OVERSEAS VISITORS REPRESENTING SO PRESTIGIOUS AN ASSOCIATION OF SUCH AN ANCIENT AND RESPECTED PROFESSION.
+ IN DECIDING TO MEET IN HONG KONG YOU HAVE COME TO ONE OF THE MOST THRIVING AND DYNAMIC COMMUNITIES IN THE WORLD, AND I DO NOT ONLY MEAN THAT ON ARRIVAL YOU MAY HAVE HAD TO FIGHT FOR YOUR BAGGAGE, OR WERE THRUST OFF THE PAVEMENT - QUITE UNINTENTIONALLY BY A PREOCCUPIED CITIZEN GOING URGENTLY ABOUT HIS BUSINESS. I MEAN THAT IT IS A COMMUNITY THAT IN THE LAST TEN YEARS HAS INCREASED ITS GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT BY 130 PER CENT AND ITS TRADE BY 148 PER CENT AND THESE FIGURES ARE IN REAL NOT MONEY TERMS. IT IS PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE THAT DURING THE SAME PERIOD HONG KONG HAS INCREASED ITS PUBLIC EXPENDITURE BY 170 PER CENT AGAIN IN REAL TERMS AND HAS DONE SO BROADLY SPEAKING THROUGH GROWTH IN WEALTH AND PRODUCTION RATHER THAN THROUGH THE GROWTH IN TAXATION AND CONTROLS WHICH IS SO OFTEN SELF-DEFEATING.
/+I MIGHT