XN000022-1985-03-07 — Page 2

THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 1985

GO OUT AND VOTE

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GOVERNOR

THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, THIS EVENING MADE A LAST MINUTE APPEAL TO ALL REGISTERED VOTERS TO COME OUT AND VOTE.

+THERE IS A FEW HOURS LEFT, GO OUT AND VOTE. I WANT AS MANY REGISTERED VOTERS AS POSSIBLE TO VOTE THIS EVENING, HE SAID.

SIR EDWARD WAS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS BEFORE ATTENDING THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS ANNUAL BALL AT THE REGENT HOTEL.

ASKED WHY HE DID NOT VISIT ANY OF THE POLLING STATIONS TODAY, HE SAID: +1 THOUGHT SERIOUSLY OF VISITING THE VOTING CENTRES. BUT IF I GO TO A VOTING CENTRE, THERE WILL BE QUITE A LOT OF TELEVISION LIKE THOSE NOW AND SOME CANDIDATES MIGHT FEEL I GIVE THEM MORE PUBLICITY THAN OTHER CANDIDATES.

+SO WE DECIDED TO BE SCRUPULOUSLY FAIR AND I WOULD STAY AWAY,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.

ORGANISATION OF ELECTIONS A CREDIT TO ALL

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THE ORGANISATION AND EFFORTS IN MOUNTING THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS, INVOLVING SOME 5 000 GOVERNMENT OFFICERS, IS A CREDIT TO ALL CONCERNED, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID THIS (THURSDAY) EVENING.

HE WAS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS WHILE VISITING THE ELECTIONS PRESS CENTRE IN THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION HEADQUARTERS AT THE WORLD SHIPPING CENTRE.

+THE WHOLE PROCESS HAS GONE SO FAR VERY SMOOTHLY AND THERE HAS BEEN NO UNSEEMLY EVENTS OF ANY KIND THAT I KNOW OF,+ HE SAID.

SIR PHILIP SAID HE WAS SATISFIED WITH THE VOTER TURN-OUT SO FAR.

+ONE SHOULD ALSO REMEMBER THAT IN THE REGISTRATION PROCESS, PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY ENCOURAGED TO REGISTER, THEY ARE POSITIVELY ASSISTED IN THE REGISTRATION PROCESS BY DOOR TO DOOR CALLS AND SO ON.

+SO IN A SENSE THERE IS A CERTAIN PASSIVE REACTION TO APPROACHES TO REGISTER.

+ BUT WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING THEY HAVE TO MAKE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO GO AND DO IT THEMSELVES.

/+I DON'T