WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1985
RENTON EXPECTED FOR OPENING.OF NEW LEGCO
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY HE HOPED MR TIMOTHY RENTON, MINISTER OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE WOULD COME TO HONG KONG AT THE END OF OCTOBER FOR THE OPENING OF THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
MR RENTON WOULD NOT COME TO HONG KONG FOR THE ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD WAS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE HANDOVER CEREMONY OF THE HONG KONG ACADEMY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.
ASKED WHETHER IT WAS FAIR FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO COMPENSATE THE CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNEL, SIR EDWARD SAID: THE SIMPLE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT WHEN THESE MEASURES WERE INTRODUCED FOR THE CONTROL OF CONGESTION, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY WAS QUITE SPECIFIC IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHEN HE SPOKE ON THE BUDGET, AND HE .... SAID THAT IF THESE MEASURES RESULTED IN A REDUCTION OF TRAFFIC, THEN IT WAS REASONABLE THAT THERE SHOULD BE EQUITABLE COMPENSATION FOR LOSS OF REVENUE.
+THE DECISION WHICH HAS NOW BEEN TAKEN FOLLOWS DIRECTLY FROM THAT STATEMENT.
ASKED IF HE WAS SATISFIED WITH THE RECENT TREND OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS, HE SAID HE THOUGHT THE ELECTIONS WERE GOING VERY WELL AND HE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO ELECTION DAY+.
ASKED IF HE COULD CONFIRM A PRESS REPORT THAT THE UK WOULD GRANT BRITISH PASSPORTS TO SOME UMELCO MEMBERS, THE GOVERNOR SAID +THE GRANTING OF BRITISH PASSPORTS LIES IN THE DISCRETION OF THE HOME SECRETARY, AND UNDER THE NATIONALITY ACT HE HAS TO TAKE INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS AND THAT IS A MATTER FOR THE HOME SECRETARY TO TAKE IN INDIVIDUAL CASES.+
ASKED WHETHER SOME RETIRING UMELCO MEMBERS HAD APPLIED FOR THESE PASSPORTS, SIR EDWARD SAID HE WOULD NOT COMMENT ON THE INDIVIDUAL AFFAIRS OF UMELCO MEMBERS.
I NEVER HAVE DONE AND I DON'T INTEND TO START COMMENTING NOW,+ HE SAID.
ASKED WHEN THE PUBLIC COULD SEE THE FORM OF THE_BNO_PASSPORTS, SIR EDWARD SAID: THE FORM OF THE BNO PASSPORT HASN'T BEEN FINALLY DECIDED ON. SO IT WILL BE A LITTLE WHILE YET BEFORE YOU KNOW EXACTLY THE FORM.
+BUT I DON'T THINK YOU'LL FIND IT VERY SURPRISING WHEN IT DOES COME OUT.+
ASKED FOR HIS COMMENT ON A SPEECH BY PRESIDENT REAGAN THIS MORNING IN WHICH HE TOOK A VERY ANTI-PROTECTION IST STAND+ SIR EDWARD SAID HE WOULD NOT COMMENT ON IT UNTIL HE SAW PRESIDENT REAGAN'S COMMENTS.
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