XN000022-1978-01-26 — Page 4

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 1978

+THIS MUST MEAN, IF THE MASTER PLAN IS TO SURVIVE, A PREPAREDNESS, IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, FOR THE OPERATORS TO BE ABSORBED AND DIRECTED BY THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MASTER PLAN. THAT, IN TURN, WOULD MEAN HONG KONG ENDING UP WITH ONE HUGE UNMANAGEABLE TRANSPORT OPERATOR. WHAT A GHASTLY PROSPECT,+ HE SAID.

+EVEN IF IT WERE POSSIBLE FOR A MASTER PLAN TO WORK - AND AS I HAVE INDICATED. THIS POSSIBILITY CAN BE ENTIRELY DISCOUNTED IS IT NEEDED? I DON'T THINK SO FOR THREE REASONS.

PUBLIC + IN THE FIRST PLACE, UNDER PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS TRANSPORT IS TREMENDOUSLY DYNAMIC AND RESPONSIVE TO DEMAND WHICH LEAPT FORWARD BETWEEN 1973 AND 1977 AND WAS MET.

+ THE OPERATORS, ACTING UNDER WHAT I MIGHT DESCRIBE AS GENTLE GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE, CARRIED 5.5 MILLION PASSENGERS A DAY IN 1977 AS CONTRASTED WITH 4.1 MILLION A DAY IN 1973. WHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD IS THERE SUCH EXCELLENT, RESPONSIVE PUBLIC TRANSPORT?

+SECONDLY, ANYONE WHO ARGUES FOR A MASTER PLAN HAS GOT TO POINT TO A GENERAL MISCHIEF UNDER OUR PRESENT SYSTEM OF LIMITED PLANNING. 1 DON'T THINK THAT THEY CAN. IF THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM IS REALLY AS BAD AS OUR DETRACTORS SAY, HOW DO WE ACHIEVE SUCH EXCELLENT GROWTH RATES IN OUR GDP AS WE HAVE RECENTLY REGISTERED, I.E. 16% IN 1976 AND 8% IN 1977?

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+SURELY WE WOULD NEVER GET TO THE OFFICE WE WOULD ALL STAY AT HOME- THE FACTORIES WOULD CEASE TO HUM AND THE ECONOMY WOULD COME TO A HALT. OUR GROWTH RATE IS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO ALLEGE AN APPALLINGLY BAD STATE OF OUR GENERAL TRANSPORT DUE TO A LACK OF A MASTER PLAN.

+THIRDLY, SUCH AN ALLEGATION ALSO MAKES EXCEEDINGLY LARGE DRAFTS ON HUMAN CREDULITY AT A TIME WHEN THE GOVERNMENT IS DEMONSTRABLY INVESTING HUGE SUMS IN THE MTRC, AN EXPANDED ROAD PROGRAMME AND, IN ALL PROBABILITY, AN ELECTRIFIED KCR.

+HAVE THE CRITICS NO EYES FOR THE STRUCTURES STEADILY RISING FROM THIS TERRITORY? OR THE GREAT PITS IN WHICH MEN ARE MINING FOR MASS TRANSIT? THE BLAST OF THE PNEUMATIC DRILL MAY NOT BE MUSIC TO THE IR EARS, BUT I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS DEMONSTRATION ENOUGH THAT THE TRANSPORT SECTOR OF OUR ECONOMY IS SCARCELY A POOR RELATION.+

REGARDING THE PROPOSAL FOR AN INDEPENDENT TRANSPORT AUTHORITY,

DR. BUTLER DESCRIBED IT AS +SPLENDID PHANTASY+.

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HE SAID THAT IF A GOVERNMENT WAS TO GOVERN, THERE COULD BE NO STRAIGHT-JACKET OF MASTER PLANNING, NO OUTSIDE BODY TO WHOM TO PASS THE BUCK, BUT A CONSTANT AND OFTEN AGONISING RE-ORDERING OF PRIORITIES AND DECISION TAKING IN THE LIGHT OF CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES.

+30 I SUGGEST THAT WE STICK TO CUR PRESENT SYSTE OF LETTING THE GOVERNMENT GOVERN AND THE CRITICS CRITICISE, HE SAID.

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