XN000022-1984-11-21 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1984

+THE WHITE PAPER RECORDS THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO MEET THIS NEED BY PROVIDING A STANDARD RATE ON REMUNERATION, AS WELL AS PAYMENT OF EXPENSES, FOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

*THE LEVEL OF REMUNERATION IS NOW UNDER CONSIDERATION WITH A VIEW TO INTRODUCING THE SCHEME WHEN THE FIRST ELECTED MEMBERS JOIN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL NEXT YEAR, SIR EDWARD SAID.

THE PLANS SET OUT IN THE WHITE PAPER REPRESENTED WHAT SIR EDWARD CONSIDERED AS AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD+ IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG.

+1 HAVE NO DOUBT THAT SOME WILL SAY THAT WE ARE BEING TOO CAUTIOUS; OTHERS THAT WE ARE MOVING TOO FAST.

+BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE GREAT MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ACCEPT THAT CHANGE MUST BE GRADUAL; THAT WE MUST ALLOW OUR OWN SYSTEM TO EVOLVE NATURALLY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF PRESENT-DAY HONG KONG, AND THAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF FUTURE CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO MAKE MISTAKES,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.

FOR THESE REASONS, THE WHITE PAPER CONTINUES TO ADOPT THE STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH WITH THE NEXT REVIEW PLANNED FOR 1987.

+ I AM CONFIDENT THAT THIS APPROACH WILL BEST ENSURE THAT WE ACHIEVE OUR OBJECTIVE OF DEVELOPING A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT ON WHICH THE VIEWS OF ALL SECTORS OF OUR SOCIETY ARE REPRESENTED; WHICH IS RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG,+ HE SAID.

O

NEARLY 7 000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT IN SIX MONTHS

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A TOTAL OF 6 884 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA HAD BEEN CAUGHT IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID LEAFFRESON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS FROM THE HON HO KAM-FAI, MR JEAFFRESON SAID THE TOTAL COMPRISED 989 FOR MAY, 971 FOR JUNE, 816 FOR JULY, 1 091 FOR AUGUST, 1 617 FOR SEPTEMBER AND 1 400 FOR OCTOBER.

TO COUNTER RUMOURS BEING SPREAD BY PEOPLE ORGANISING ILLEGAL MIGRATION, THE GOVERNMENT HAD REPEATEDLY SAID THERE WOULD BE NO AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN HONG KONG FOLLOWING THE SIGNING OF THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT.

/+WE WILL