XN000022-1974-10-30 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1974

CALL FOR SPECIAL SPEAKERS CORNERS

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THE HON. ROGER LOBO TODAY CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO DESIGNATE SPECIAL SPEAKER'S CORNERS ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND IN KOWLOON WHERE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COULD VOICE THEIR OPINIONS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT HAVING TO OBTAIN PRIOR POLICE APPROVAL.

MR. LOBO TOLD COUNCIL HE FOUND IT DISTURBING THAT +SOME PEOPLE SEEK TO GAIN MORE PUBLICITY BY TROOPING TO THE POLICE STATION TO OBTAIN THEIR PERMITS TO HOLD MEETINGS OR RALLIES THAN THEY DO FROM THE PROGRAMME AND SPEECHES THEY PRODUCE FOR THE OCCASION ITSLF.+

HE RECOMMENDED THAT THE PRACTICE OF OBTAINING PRIOR POLICE PERMISSION FOR HOLDING SUCH MEETINGS BE DROPPED, AND SUGGESTED THAT THE ONLY CONDITIONS FOR USING THE SPECIAL SPEAKER'S CORNERS SHOULD BE THAT THE PARTICIPANTS DO NOT CREATE BUBLIC DISORDER OR GO INTO A PROCESSION TO DISRUPT THE LIFE OF THE CITY AND CAUSE NUISANCE TO OTHERS.

MR. LOBO NOTED THAT HONG KONG WAS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES IN THE WORLD ENJOYING FULL FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND HE CONGRATULATED THE GOVERNMENT FOR FOSTERING THIS AND PURSUING A SYSTEM OF OPEN GOVERNMENT'.

HOWEVER, THERE WERE STILL MANY GAPS TO BE FILLED, HE ADDED, CITING AS AN EXAMPLE THE MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM OF WHICH, HE SAID, LITTLE OF THE REAL FACTS WAS KNOWN. +THE SOONER THE GOVERNMENT IS IN A POSITION TO GIVE SOME STRAIGHT ANSWERS, WHETHER FAVOURABLE OR OTHERWISE, THE BETTER FOR ALL,+ HE STRESSED.

MR. LOBO ALSO REFERRED TO A SMALL PART OF KAITAK AIRPORT WHICH, HE SAID, +1S GIVING HONG KONG A BAD NAME.+ ARRIVING PASSENGERS, HE EXPLAINED, OFTEN FOUND THEMSELVES GOING THROUGH ALL SORTS OF FORMALITIES DURING WHICH THEY WERE GIVEN NO FEELING OF WELCOME- MANY WERE OFTEN FLEECED, AND ON TOP OF THAT THEY HAD TO COPE WITH AN APPARENTLY UNSOLVABLE+ TRANSPORT SITUATION AT THE AIRPORT.

TURNING TO SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. LOBO PRESSED FOR FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN WITH PROPER GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

POINTING OUT THAT IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE FOR CURRENT OR FUTURE GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL RESTRICTIONS TO BE APPLIED TO THE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR SOCIAL WELFARE PURPOSES, MR. LOBO SUGGESTED THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDS COULD BE RAISED BY SELLING SPECIAL 5-CENT OR 10-CENT STAMPS THE PROCEEDS OF WHICH WOULD BE SPECIFICALLY USED FOR SOCIAL WELFARE. THIS STAMP WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THE NORMAL POSTAGE USED FOR LOCAL MAIL. HE FELT SURE THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD NOT OBJECT TO THIS ADDITIONAL INCREASE IF THEY WERE ASSURED THAT IT WOULD GO TOWARDS A SEPARATE FUND FOR WELFARE.

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MR. LOBO ALSO