XN000022-1981-10-07 — Page 26

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER

1901

24

IMMIGRATION STILL A WORRY DESPITE DROP IN NUMBER OF 11'S

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TODAY THANKED THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FOR THE RESPONSIBILITY AND GOOD HUMOUR WITH WHICH THEY HAD ACCEPTED THE MEASURES INTRODUCED LAST OCTOBER TO DETER ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

+COUPLED WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES, THE UNRELENTING EFFORT OF OUR SECURITY FORCES, AND THE STRONG SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC, THESE MEASURES SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED THE FLOW, HE SAID IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS TO THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SESSION.

HE WARNED, HOWEVER, THAT HONG KONG REMAINED DETERMINED TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE ITS GUARD AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

THE GOVERNOR WAS CONCERNED THAT WHILE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION HAD NOW BEEN GREATLY REDUCED, THE NUMBER OF THOSE ARRIVING HERE LEGALLY FOR A VISIT AND STAY PERMANENTLY STILL ADDED 55 000 PEOPLE TO OUR POPULATION EACH YEAR.

+AFTER THE FLOOD OF THE LAST FEW YEARS WE NEED A RESPITE,+ HE SAID.

HE SAID IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO REDUCE THE NUMBERS COMING HERE FOR PERMANENT SETTLEMENT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDING GENUINE VISITORS WHOSE RETURN TO THEIR HOMES IN CHINA WAS ASSURED, +BUT WE CAN ONLY ACT IN COOPERATION WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES FOR WHOM I KNOW THIS IS NOT AN EASY MATTER,

STRESSING THE NEED FOR CONTINUED VIGILANCE AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, SIR MURRAY SAID THE GARRISON MUST CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A CONSIDERABLE PRESENCE ON THE BORDER, THE NON-URBAN COASTLINE, AND AT SEA.

THE GARRISON HAD OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS MADE A TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTION TO HOLDING THE LINE AGAINST THE WAVES OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, HE SAID, AND WOULD BE REINFORCED WITH AN EXTRA BATTAL ION -- INITIALLY A GURKHA UNIT-WHICH SHOULD BE IN POSITION BY NEXT JANUARY. THIS WOULD BRING THE INFANTRY STRENGTH OF THE GARRISON TO FIVE BATTAL IONS.

IN ADDITION, VARIOUS ADDITIONAL SPECIALIST TROOPS ARE BEING ADDED TO THE GARRISON AND AN EXPANSION OF THE HONG KONG MILITARY SERVICE CORPS WAS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE.

A MODERNISED AND COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATIONS WAS ALSO BEING PLANNED BY SPECIALIST OFFICERS OF THE ROYAL NAVY AND THE POLICE AND BY 1983 SHOULD GIVE US A NEW, RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT RADIO NETWORK.

+LINKED WITH THIS ARE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COVERAGE OF HONG KONG WATERS BY LAND AND SHIP BASED RADAR, HE SAID, ADDING THAT REPLACEMENT PATROL CRAFT HAD ALSO BEEN ORDERED AND SHOULD BE OPERATING BY 1984.

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