XN000022-1975-10-22 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1975

IN DIFFICULT TIMES, HE ADDED, IT WAS PEOPLE THAT MATTERED MOST. +ANYTHING WHICH OBTAINS A POSITIVE INVOLVEMENT OF PEOPL.. IS MONEY WELL SPENT AND GIVES US EXTRA VALUE FOR OUR DOLLAR.

ONE OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE, HE SAID, WAS THE FORMATION OF MUTUAL AID AND AREA COMMITTEES WHICH WERE NOT ONLY EFFECTIVE IN THEIR SECURITY ROLE BUT COULD WELL BRING FORWARD TO PUBLIC NOTICE MEN AND WOMEN WHO COULD SHOULDER MORE CONSIDERABLE COMMUNITY BURDENS.

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THIS WAS ALSO TRUE IN THE CASE OF SOCIAL WELFARE, HE ADDED. +IT IS IN THIS AREA ABOVE ALL THAT THERE MUST BE GREATEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR HARNESSING THE VOLUNTARY ENERGIES AND EFFORTS OF INDIVIDUALS TO THE COMMON GOOD.+

MR. WILLIAMS DID NOT SHARE THE VIEW THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS +REMOTE, MONOLITHIC AND LACKING IN UNDERSTANDING.

BUT HE STRESSED THAT TO DEMONSTRATE THIS CONCERN AND TO MAKE LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVE REQUIRED THE CLOSEST CONTACT WITH ALL LEVELS OF SOCIETY. IN THIS REGARD, HE EMPHASISED THAT THE EFFORTS OF THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, THE INFORMATION SERVICES AND RADIO HONG KONG SHOULD NOT BE DIMINISHED THROUGH GENERAL ISED ECONOMY CUTS..

+ININDEED THERE IS A REASONABLE CASE FOR STRENGTHENING OUR EFFORTS, FOR UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MUST GOVERNMENT BE FORCED TO SPEAK WITH A MUTED VOICE AT THIS TIME, HE SAID. THIS DID NOT ONLY APPLY WITHIN HONG KONG BUT ALSO OVERSEAS WHERE HONG KONG SHOULD MAKE ITS VOICE HEARD TO COUNTER UNFAIR AND UNINFORMED CRITICISM.

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