XN000022-1976-01-14 — Page 20

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"From time to time, he hears criticisms of Hong Kong, some

of which are accurate, some of which used to be true but are so no

longer and some of which are without foundation, though he will not

know into which category they fall. Some of them may make an impact

upon him and he will realise that Hong Kong has its flaws as indeed

we all adnit. But they will not have seriously affected his admiration

for Hong Kong and for its remarkable achievements.

CONCLUSION

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There is nothing rougher than a family squabble. The nir

rings with accusations of bias, dishonesty, stupidity and blindness.

The outsider could be forgiven for supposing that each protagonist

nourished an intense and irreparable distaste for his closest relatives.

But the outsider would be wrong, as he would discover very quickly if he

He would find that those were rash enough to enter the argument himself.

who had compared one another to a selection of the lower animals (much

to the latter's advantage) would close ranks and join together in sudden

accord to repel the intruder.

"So it has often been with Britain. From her people we have

received considerable criticism, some of it ill-informed or based upon

inaccurate assumptions. But when danger arises Britain has never luft

us unaided. When our interests have been threatened, she has defonded

then vigorously against a hostile world. We are bound together by history

and by political realitics. Uneasy bedfollows we may sometimes be, but

the disadvantages and pinpricks are heavily outweighed by the benefits

which accrue abundantly to both sides from the relationship."