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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1980
WHILE THESE MEASURES WERE ESSENTIAL, SIR MURRAY CAUTIONED THAT THEY WOULD BECOME IRKSOME WITH TIME.
IT WAS, FOR INSTANCE, IRKSOME TO HAVE TO REMEMBER TO CARRY AN IDENTITY CARD OR SOME OTHER FORM OF IDENTIFICATION AND TO PRODUCE IT IF ASKED. LIKEWISE MIGHT IT BECOME IRKSOME FOR EMPLOYERS TO HAVE TO CHECK THAT EMPLOYEES HAVE IDENTITY CARDS OR CERTAIN OTHER FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION.
AND IT WOULD BE DISTRESSING WHEN FRIENDS AND RELATIVES FROM CHINA ENTER ILLEGALLY AND HAVE TO BE TURNED AWAY, HE SAID.
+BUT IF THIS MOVEMENT IS TO BE HALTED, AS IT MUST BE, A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE MUST GET BACK FROM HONG KONG TO THE COMMUNES THAT THE DOOR IS CLOSED, AND EVEN IF EVADED LEADS ONLY TO A DEAD END WITHOUT EITHER PROFIT OR SAFETY, HE STRESSED.
+THIS MESSAGE MUST GET BACK CLEARLY.
+WE MUST NOT ALLOW IT TO BE OBSCURED BY CRIMINAL ABETTORS, THE FAINT OR SOFT HEARTED OR THE GRASPING OR INEFFICIENT EMPLOYER, THE GOVERNOR SAID.
SIR MURRAY NOTED THAT THE NEW LEGISLATION WOULD RADICALLY CHANGE HONG KONG'S TRADITIONAL POLICY TOWARDS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA.
BUT HE STRESSED: +WE CANNOT STAND BY AND ACCEPT THE INDEFINITE CONTINUATION OF A HIGH LEVEL OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION WHILE HONG KONG STANDARDS ARE STEADILY ERODED, AND IT LOSES
ITS PROSPECTS OF BEING THE PLACE ITS RESIDENTS AND ITS GOVERNMENT ARE SO ANXIOUS TO MAKE IT, AND ALSO THE PLACE WHICH COULD CONTRIBUTE SO MUCH AND SO WILLINGLY TO THE MODERNISATION OF GUANGDONG.+
SIR MURRAY SAID HONG KONG'S RECORD OF PROVIDING HOME AND LIVELIHOOD FOR PERSONS WISHING TO ENTER FROM CHINA MUST BE UNEQUALLED IN THE WORLD, IT RESULTED, HE SAID, FROM BOTH A LONG HISTORICAL TRADITION, THE BUOYANCY OF OUR ECONOMY AND THE WILLINGNESS OF OUR PEOPLE TO WELCOME THEIR COMPATRIOTS.
IT HAD BEEN POSSIBLE TO SUSTAIN THIS POLICY IN THE PAST BECAUSE, AFTER THE EARLY 50'S, HIGH LEVELS OF INFLUX HAVE BEEN COMPARATIVELY SHORT-LIVED AND THUS ABSORBABLE, SIR MURRAY SAID.
+THE PRESENT CASE IS DIFFERENT, HE STRESSED.
+WE ARE NOW ENTERING THE THIRD YEAR OF THE PHENOMENON.
IT IS AS OBJECTIONABLE TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AS IT IS TO L'S, AND "HEY, LIKE US, ARE MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO STOP IT,+ HE SAID.
IE ADDED: