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+YESTERDAY WAS, AS WE ALL KNOW, A HISTORIC DAY FOR LEGCO AND A MOST IMPORTANT DAY FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, I WAS PRIVILEGED WITH TWO PARLIAMENTARY COLLEAGUES, SIR PETER BLAKER AND SIR PAUL BRYAN, TO ATTEND THE FIRST SESSION OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WITH ELECTED MEMBERS. IN BRITAIN WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR HONG KONG TO DEVELOP ITS OWN SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS OWN NEEDS AND CUSTOMS.
+1 AM NOT A SOCIALIST, INDEED ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I AM A CONSERVATIVE IS BECAUSE I HAVE MUCH SYMPATHY WITH THE WAY IN WHICH THE MARKET HAS DEVELOPED IN HONG KONG, THE EMPHASIS ON FREE TRADE AND ENTERPRISE, WHILST AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS SUCH A LOT OF COMMUNITY CONSCIOUSNESS AND CARING FOR THE DEPRIVED IN HONG KONG. BUT I DO BELIEVE, ALTHOUGH I AM NOT A SOCIALIST, IN THE FABIAN APPROACH IN THIS AREA OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. THAT IS TO SAY, STEP BY STEP WITH EACH STAGE BEING TESTED AGAINST THE EXPERIENCE AND WISHES OF THE PEOPLE.
+ I ALSO VISITED TWO REFUGEE CAMPS, BOWRING AND KAI TAK, AND I CAME AWAY WITH AN IMMENSE ADMIRATION FOR THE WAY HONG KONG HAS SHOULDERED THE VERY REAL BURDENS IMPOSED BY THE REFUGEE PROBLEM. NO VISIT TO A REFUGEE CAMP, BE IT HERE, BE IT IN THE SUDAN, BE IT IN PAKISTAN, NO VISIT CAN BE A HAPPY EXPERIENCE. I AM VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE DISLOCATION OF THE LIVES OF THOSE IN THESE CAMPS. BUT I WAS GREATLY ENCOURAGED BY THE DEDICATION AND CHEERFULNESS OF THE STAFF AND I WAS IMPRESSED, TOO, BY THE DETERMINATION OF SOME OF THE REFUGEES TO LEARN ENGLISH, TO DEVELOP A VOCATIONAL TRADE, SO THAT WHEN RESETTLEMENT COMES, LIFE IN THE COUNTRIES THAT THEY GO TO WOULD BE EASIER. I WAS ESPECIALLY IMPRESSED BY THE CRECHE AT KAI TAK AND THE PLAYGROUP AT THE POWRING CAMP.
+ IN ALL TOO BRIEF A TIME I HAVE MANAGED TO SEE SOMETHING OF THE MANY DEVELOPMENTS PLANNED AND UNDERWAY IN HONG KONG: HOUSING PLANS AT KWUN TONG, TSUI PING REDEVELOPMENT, PROPOSALS FOR THE EASTERN HARBOUR TUNNEL AND THE NEW INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE. THE SPEED AND PACE OF DEVELOPMENTS IN NEW TOWNS LIKE TAI PO WHICH WILL QUADRUPLE ITS POPULATION IN A DECADE, A LOT OF IT HAPPENING ON RECLAIMED LAND, ARE FOR SOMEONE COMING FROM BRITAIN QUITE BREATH-TAK ING. EVERYTHING I HAVE SEEN SUGGESTS A PLANNING FOR, AND A CONFIDENCE IN, THE FUTURE, NOT JUST FOR 12 YEARS AHEAD BUT FOR CHILDREN AND GENERATIONS TO COME. AND ADMIRE AND SHARE THAT OPTIMISM IN THE FUTURE. THERE IS, OF COURSE, A LOT OF WORK THAT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT CAN AND WILL BE DOING IN THE YEARS IMMEDIATELY AHEAD, PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS FOR HONG KONG.
+AND PERHAPS I CAN END BY JUST MENTIONING THAT OUR SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY IN WASHINGTON YESTERDAY, AMONG OTHER MATTERS, RAISED WITH SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION THE TEXTILE BILL, AND HE EMPHASISED - I AM TALKING ABOUT MR LEON BRITTAN HE EMPHASISED OUR JOINT INTEREST IN THE CONTINUED FUTURE, PROSPERITY AND POLITICAL STABILITY OF HONG KONG, ITS OPEN MARKET, AND THE UNACCEPTABLE DAMAGE THAT ANY TEXTILE BILL PASSED THROUGH CONGRESS WOULD DO. THE SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE
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ADMINISTRATION WERE WHOLLY SYMPATHETIC AND WE HAVE NO DOUBT OF THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION'S UNEQUIVOCAL OPPOSITION TO PROTECTIONIST LEGISLATION WITH TEXTILES AS A PRIME EXAMPLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
/MR ROBERTS: