XN000022-1980-09-09 — Page 3

2

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1980

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE LEVEL OF ARRESTS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS REACHED A PEAK IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR WITH A FIGURE OF 15 000. FOR THE WHOLE YEAR THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ARRESTS WAS NEARLY 90 000.

ALTHOUGH THE FIGURES THEN DROPPED, THEY ROSE SHARPLY AGAIN IN RECENT MONTHS, AND SO FAR THIS YEAR THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED STANDS AT MORE THAN 56 000,

+ IT IS ESTIMATED THAT DURING THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF THIS YEAR ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION WOULD HAVE ADDED ANOTHER 50 000 TO HONG KONG'S POPULATION, THE ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE GOVERNMENT'S SOCIAL PROGRAMMES HAS BEEN VERY CONSIDERABLE, HE SAID.

THE MAJORITY OF THESE EVADERS HAVE BEEN REACHING THE URBAN AREA BY WAY OF RURAL AREAS STRETCHING IN AN ARC BETWEEN CASTLE PEAK IN THE WEST AND SAI KUNG IN THE EAST.

THE REMAINDER COME MAINLY BY BOAT AND LAND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE TERRITORY, INCLUDING THE OUTLYING ISLANDS.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS, THEREFORE, IMPORTANT FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO SHOULD HAVE IDENTITY CARDS TO CARRY THEM WHEN VISITING THE AREAS AFFECTED.

+ IF ANYONE WHO SHOULD BUT DOES NOT HAVE AN ID CARD,+ HE SAID, THEN HE MUST GO TO A REGISTRATION OF PERSONS (ROP) OFFICE AND APPLY TO GET ONE, TAKING ALONG TWO PASSPORT SIZE PHOTOGRAPHS OF HIMSELF.+

PERSONS WHO HAVE LOST THE IR IDENTITY CARDS SHOULD APPLY FOR REPLACEMENT CARDS AT ANY OF THE THREE MAIN ROP OFFICES IN THE CAUSEWAY BAY MAGISTRACY BUILDING ON HONG KONG ISLAND, THE CANTON ROAD GOVERNMENT OFFICES BUILDING IN KOWLOON, OR THE FAR EAST BANK BUILDING IN TSUEN WAN.

ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF IN ROP OFFICES TO BE ON DUTY TO HANDLE APPLICATIONS.

THOSE PERSONS FOUND NOT CARRYING IDENTITY CARDS AFTER THE ORDER COMES INTO EFFECT WILL BE LIABLE TO A FINE OF UP TO $3 000 OR IMPRISONMENT FOR ONE YEAR.

13......