THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1981
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IT WAS ESSENTIAL FOR HONG KONG'S SURVIVAL, HE STRESSED, TO MAINTAIN OUR IMMIGRATION POLICY AND HE COUNTED ON THE SUPPORT OF THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES WITH RESOLUTION, FAIRNESS, CONSIDERATION AND KINDNESS.
THE DEPARTMENT, HE NOTED, SERVED THE PUBLIC IN A WIDE VARIETY OF WAYS, FROM REGISTERING ELECTORS TO CELEBRATING MARRIAGES. IT ISSUES OVER ONE MILLION TRAVEL DOCUMENTS TO HONG KONG RESIDENTS, RECEIVES MORE THAN 500 000 APPLICATIONS FOR VISAS OR PERMITS TO VISIT HONG KONG AND MORE THAN 20 MILLION PASSENGERS A YEAR PASS THROUGH ITS CONTROL POINTS AT KAI TAK, LO WU AND THE MACAU WHARF, AT LO WU, SIR JACK NOTED THE RECENT GROWTH HAD BEEN PARTICULARLY DRAMATIC FROM SOME TWO MILLION PASSENGERS IN 1977 TO OVER SEVEN MILLION 1980.
IN
BUT THE MAIN PRESSURE ON THE DEPARTMENT IN RECENT YEARS AROSE FROM THE STARTLING INCREASE IN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. THE NUMBERS ARRESTED INCREASED TEN-FOLD, FROM 800 IN 1976 TO OVER 8 000 IN 1978 AND THEN ANOTHER TEN-FOLD TO OVER 80 000 IN BOTH 1979 AND 1980, A HUNDRED-FOLD IN THREE YEARS.
SIR JACK SAID IMMIGRATION CONTROL HAD CHANGED GREATLY SINCE THE DAYS WHEN, AT KAI TAK AIRPORT, ONLY ONE OFFICER WAS REQUIRED. BUT THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE DEPARTMENT REMAINED THE SAME AS WHEN IT WAS FIRST FOUNDED IN 1961 -- KONG FROM TOO RAPID AN INCREASE IN POPULATION.
TO PROTECT HONG
NOTE TO EDITORS:
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PRESS ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE RETURN VISIT
BY HRH THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH
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HRH THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH WILL BE MAKING A STOPOVER VISIT TO HONG KONG OVER THE WEEKEND (MARCH 28 AND 29) ON HIS HOMEWARD JOURNEY FROM AUSTRALIA.
THE CATHAY PACIFIC FLIGHT ON WHICH PRINCE PHILIP WILL BE TRAVELLING 13 DUE TO ARRIVE FROM MELBOURNE AT 9 PM ON SATURDAY (MARCH 28). PRESS PHOTOGRAPHERS AND CAMERAMEN ASSIGNED TO COVER THE ARRIVAL AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE AIR BRIDGE ARE REQUESTED TO BE IN THE AIRPORT PRESS ROOM NOT LATER THAN 8 PM. GIS OFFICERS WILL BE ON HAND TO ASSIST MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES.
PRINCE PHILIP WILL STAY OVERNIGHT AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE.
ON SUNDAY (MARCH 29) THE DUKE WILL FULFIL A NUMBER OF PRIVATE ENGAGEMENTS, INCLUDING VISITS TO THE ROYAL NAVY AND THE 7TH DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S OWN GURKHA RIFLES.
ALSO ON SUNDAY HE WILL ATTEND A PRESENTATION IN THE GRAND BALLROOM OF THE HILTON HOTEL ARRANGED BY THE WORLD WILDLIFE FUND (WWF). THE DUKE IS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT OF WWF INTERNATIONAL.
/HRH WILL