XN000022-1983-09-24 — Page 2

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1983

HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELVES

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LUCE

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THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, MR RICHARD LUCE, TONIGHT (SATURDAY) CALLED ON THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES +JUST AS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS CONFIDENCE IN YOU AND IS COMMITTED TO YOU+.

+1 ASK YOU NOT TO FORGET THAT IT IS YOU, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, WHO HAVE CREATED SUCH A SUCCESSFUL AND PROSPEROUS SOCIETY,+ HE SAID.

+ IT IS IN NO ONE'S INTEREST TO SEE THAT DESTROYED. I INVITE YOU NOT TO UNDERVALUE YOUR SKILLS AND ACHIEVEMENTS.+

MR LUCE WAS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT KAI TAK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG FOR A FOUR-DAY VISIT,

HE POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS ALMOST EXACTLY FIVE YEARS TO THE DAY WHEN HE FIRST VISITED HONG KONG AS SHADOW MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY.

+ I REMEMBER THAT VISIT WITH THE GREATEST OF ENJOYMENT.

+AND NOW, FIVE YEARS LATER, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF RETURNING AS MINISTER OF STATE RESPONSIBLE FOR HONG KONG AFFAIRS.

+I LOOK FORWARD ENORMOUSLY TO SEEING HONG KONG AGAIN, TO MEETING AS BROAD A CROSS SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE.

+I SHALL VALUE VERY MUCH MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR AND WITH UMELCO, AND WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS I CAN MEET DURING THE TIME AVAILABLE, HE SAID.

MR LUCE WAS MET ON ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE.

HE IS ACCOMPANIED ON HIS VISIT BY MR ALAN DONALD, ASSISTANT UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, MR IVOR ROBERTS, DEPUTY HEAD OF NEWS DEPARTMENT OF THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, AND MR HAYDEN WARREN-GASH, HIS PRIVATE SECRETARY.

POSTAGE RATES TO CHANGE FROM OCTOBER 1

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THE POST OFFICE TODAY (SATURDAY) REMINDED THE PUBLIC THAT POSTAGE RATES FOR LOCAL LETTER AND PARCEL SERVICES WILL BE INCREASED FROM OCTOBER 1.

THE INCREASES WERE FIRST ANNOUNCED IN MARCH THIS YEAR.

THE BASIC RATE FOR LOCAL LETTERS WILL INCREASE FROM 30 CENTS TO 40 CENTS.

BUT THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN THE RATE FOR LOCAL PRINTED PAPERS WEIGHING UNDER 30 GRAMMES WHICH REMAINS AT 30 CENTS. THESE ITEMS

INCLUDE INVOICES, GREETINGS CARDS AND OTHER PRINTED PAPERS.

THE BASIC RATES FOR LETTERS AND PRINTED PAPERS TO CHINA WILL ALSO BE INCREASED BY 10 CENTS, BUT THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN THE POSTAGE RATES FOR SMALL PACKETS.

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