XN000022-1978-10-11 — Page 20

*EDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1978

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IMMIGRATION CONTINUES TO SOAR

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THE NUMBER OF IMMIGRANTS COMING TO HONG KONG AT THE PRESENT RATE MAY REACH 95,000 THIS YEAR, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY NACLEHOSE, SAID TODAY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

DURING THE LAST SIX MONTHS, THE HIGH LEVEL OF IMMIGRATION INTO HONG KONG HAS BEEN WORRYING, HE SAID.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MUST BE KEPT IN PERSPECTIVE SINCE THE LEVEL OF IMMIGRATION CHANGES CONSIDERABLY FROM YEAR TO YEAR, AND THERE IS AN OUTFLOW TO OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL AS AN INFLOW LARGELY FROM NEIGHBOURING PROVINCES OF CHINA, SIR MURRAY SAID.

IN THE FIVE YEARS UP TO DECEMBER 1976, THE AVERAGE ANNUAL ARRIVALS FROM CHINA BY ALL MEANS WERE ABOUT 50,000 BUT HONG KONG'S OVERALL AVERAGE NET GAIN BY MIGRATION WAS ONLY 18,000 A YEAR. LAST YEAR THE NET GAIN ROSE TO 33,000, AND THIS YEAR, IF THE CURRENT RATE IS MAINTAINED, IT COULD BE AS HIGH AS 60,000.

SIR MURRAY SAID: +AT THIS RATE TWO EXTRA VERY LARGE HOUSING ESTATES, WITH ALL ACCOMPANYING FACILITIES WOULD BE NECESSARY EACH YEAR IF STANDARDS WERE NOT TO BE DILUTED.

+WE HAVE EXPLAINED BOTH HERE DIRECTLY, AND THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS IN PEKING AND LONDON, THE PROBLEMS THAT THIS RATE OF

INFLUX COULD PRESENT FOR US IF IT WERE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE, AND I VERY MUCH HOPE TO SEE THE FIGURES GRADUALLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED.+

THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO WATCHING WITH APPREHENSION THE GROWING NUMBER OF ARRIVALS HERE FROM VIETNAM AWAITING RESETTLEMENT WHICH NOW STANDS AT 3,670.

OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS THE GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN PERMISSION FOR SOME 4,300 WITH SOME CLAIM ON HONG KONG TO STAY HERE. ANOTHER 5,300 HAVE BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO STAY TEMPORARILY ON AN UNDERSTANDING BY THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES -- WHO HAS BEEN DOING EXCELLENT WORK PERMANENT HOME ELSEWHERE.

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TO FIND THEM A

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