XN000022-1985-09-24 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1985

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ECONOMIC GROWTH QUITE RESPECTABLE' GOVERNOR

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THE RATE OF GROWTH OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMY IS STILL QUITE RESPECTABLE BY ANYBODY'S STANDARDS ALTHOUGH IT IS LESS THAN WHAT WE HOPE IT WOULD BE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

SPEAK ING TO REPORTERS AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING OF THE SHA TIN TO FANLING SECTION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES TRUNK ROAD. SIR EDWARD SAID THAT OVERSEAS FACTORS - THE SLOWDOWN IN THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY AND THE SLOWDOWN IN THE DEMAND THERE WERE THE MAIN REASONS.

HE POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S SPEECH LAST NIGHT, REVIEWING HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR, STILL CONTAINED SOME ENCOURAGING FEATURES,

+ THE RATE OF INFLATION IS LOW, EMPLOYMENT IS HIGH, AND WE STILL HAVE A VERY RESPECTABLE RATE OF GROWTH BY WORLD STANDARDS.

+SO, ALTHOUGH WE WOULD LIKE IT TO HAVE BEEN BETTER, I THINK IT IS STILL PRETTY GOOD AND OUR EXPORTERS HAVE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB, HE SAID.

ASKED WHETHER HE WOULD BRIEF MR NICHOLAS RIDLEY, THE VISITING SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRANSPORT, BEFORE HE GOES TO CHINA FOR DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING THE CIVIL AVIATION TALKS, SIR EDWARD SAID HE HAD HAD A FEW DISCUSSIONS WITH MR RIDLEY ALREADY.

+AND HE HAS BEEN BRIEFED IN GREAT DETAIL BY THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES AND SOME OF THE OTHER GOVERNMENT SECRETARIES, HE SAID.

+SO HE IS VERY WELL AWARE OF THE VIEWS AND INTERESTS OF HONG KONG, A

ON WHETHER HE WOULD ASK MR RIDLEY TO PUSH FOR THE TALKS TO BE RESUMED, SIR EDWARD SAID, WE HAVE A GREAT INTEREST IN THE TALKS BEING RESUMED.

+AND I THINK YOU CAN BE SURE THEY WILL BE RESUMED BECAUSE THE SOONER WE HAVE A SETTLEMENT OF THESE ISSUES, I THINK THE BETTER IT WILL BE FOR CONFIDENCE FOR HONG KONG,+ HE SAID.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION ON WHETHER ALLEGATIONS OF VOTE RIGGING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WOULD BE A +HAZARD+ TO THE FORTHCOMING LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS, THE GOVERNOR SAID ALL HE KNEW AT THE MOMENT WAS THAT SOME COMPLAINTS HAD BEEN MADE.

/+AND WHEN