XN000022-1986-12-09 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1986

SIR EDWARD'S GREAT COMMITMENT LAUDED

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NO MAN COULD HAVE COMMITTED HIMSELF WITH MORE SENSE OF PURPOSE THAN SIR EDWARD YOUDE TO THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG AND, IN PURSUING THAT COMMITMENT, NO MAN HAD MADE A GREATER SACRIFICE.

THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, REPRESENTING THE QUEEN, SAID THIS WHEN DELIVERING A EULOGY AT THE FUNERAL SERVICE FOR THE LATE GOVERNOR AT ST. JOHN'S CATHEDRAL TODAY (TUESDAY).

SIR DAVID SAID SIR EDWARD'S YEARS OF GOVERNORSHIP HAD BEEN MOMENTOUS, AND IT WAS IN NO SMALL MEASURE THROUGH HIS EFFORTS THAT HONG KONG HAD CAST OFF THE MANTLE OF A +BORROWED PLACE+ TO ACQUIRE A NEW DIGNITY WITH ITS FUTURE ASSURED.

A SEPARATE EULOGY WAS DELIVERED IN CANTONESE BY THE SENIOR MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR S.Y. CHUNG,

IN ONE PART OF HIS EULOGY, SIR S.Y. SAID OF THE GOVERNOR:

+ DURING HIS ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE, HE LIVED AND WORKED FOUR TIMES IN THE CAPITAL OF CHINA AND WAS HER MAJESTY'S AMBASSADOR IN PEKING FOR FOUR YEARS. WHILE HE WAS AMBASSADOR, HE HAD VISITED HONG KONG SEVERAL TIMES AND HAD ONCE CALLED AT THE UMELCO OFFICE TO DISCUSS WITH ME AND A NUMBER OF COLLEAGUES MATTERS OF MUTUAL INTEREST. EVEN THEN HE HAD A DEEP CONCERN ABOUT HONG KONG AFFAIRS.+

FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF SIR DAVID'S EULOGY:

+'I RECOGNISE THE HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE GOOD GOVERNMENT AND WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WHICH THIS OFFICE BEARS AND I PLEDGE THAT I WILL DO MY UTMOST TO FULFIL IT'. THESE WORDS WERE SPOKEN BY SIR EDWARD YOUDE ON MAY 20TH 1982, THE DAY HE WAS SWORN IN AS GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG.

+TO-DAY, AS WE MOURN SIR EDWARD'S DEATH, REMEMBER AND PAY TRIBUTE TO HIS LIFE, WE, THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED WITH HIM AND HIS FRIENDS, LOOK BACK ON HIS YEARS AS GOVERNOR WITH UNDERSTANDING OF HOW FULLY HE KEPT HIS PLEDGE AND OF THE WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY HE CARRIED DURING THESE YEARS. NO MAN COULD HAVE COMMITTED HIMSELF WITH MORE SENSE OF PURPOSE THAN SIR EDWARD TO THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG AND, IN PURSUING THAT COMMITMENT, NO MAN HAS MADE A GREATER SACRIFICE.

+BEGINNING AS A LANGUAGE STUDENT HE DEVELOPED A DEEP PROFESSIONAL AND EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO CHINA AND TO THE PEOPLE OF CHINA. FEW KNEW, AND HE TOOK A SECRET PLEASURE IN THE FACT, THAT HE PASSED THROUGH HONG KONG OVER 40 YEARS AGO, IN THE DARK DAYS OF 1945, AS A YOUNG NAVAL OFFICER ON HIS WAY TO CHUNGKING.

/FOLLOWING ON