XN000022-1987-11-04 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1987

CS: SURVEY OFFICE REPORT A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT

ΤΟ THE SIZE

THE REPORT OF THE SURVEY OFFICE ON THE PUBLIC RESPONSE GREEN PAPER IS A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF ITS

IT REFLECTS THE AND DETAIL, BUT BECAUSE

VIEWS CONTAINED IN OVER WELL AS IN 130,000 SUBMISSIONS SENT DIRECT TO THE SURVEY OFFICE, AS

ON NEARLY 170 PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS AND OVER 20 SIGNATURE CAMPAIGNS,

SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT HOW THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WISH TO SEE THE

DAVID FORD, DEVELOP IN 1988 AND BEYOND, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

TABLING THE REPORT AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING, SAID THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT RESPONSE FAR EXCEEDED THAT IN ANY PUBLIC CONSULTATION EXERCISE.

MR FORD PREVIOUS

CONCERN AT NOT

HE SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN UNDERSTANDABLE PUBLIC

THE THE DISCOVERY THAT SOME SUBMISSIONS TO

SURVEY OFFICE WERE ACTUALLY SENT BY THOSE FROM WHOM THEY PURPORTED TO HAVE BEEN SENT.

THE SURVEY

SUBMISSIONS WERE DELETED FROM A TOTAL OF 1,909 OFFICE RECORDS AND REFERRED TO THE POLICE FOR INVESTIGATION.

THESE SUBMISSIONS ADVOCATED

VERY DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW. AND 977 OPPOSED THE WHILE 904 SUPPORTED

INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT THE TIMING OF ELECTIONS IN 1988, 28 DID NOT COMMENT SPECIFICALLY ON DIRECT ELECTIONS, HE SAID.

SUBMISSIONS MR FORD SAID THAT OF THE FURTHER 542 ALLEGED FALSE

FROM THE SURVEY OFFICE WHICH CAME TO LIGHT TOO LATE TO BE EXCISED

293 OPPOSED THE INTRODUCTION REPORT, 238 SUPPORTED AND

OF DIRECT ON THE TIMING OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988, AND 11 DID NOT COMMENT ELECTIONS.

"IT IS INDEED A PITY THAT A SMALL HAVE SOUGHT ΤΟ INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME SUBMISSION OF BOGUS OPINIONS; BUT THESE

MINORITY OF THE INCIDENTS

SHOULD

APPARENTLY

SURVEY

SHOULD

WITH THE BE VIEWED

IN PERSPECTIVE.

"THERE CAN BE NO DOUDT THAT THE VAST MAJORITY ARE GENUINE AND MADE IN GOOD FAITH, HE SAID.

OF

SUBMISSIONS

"

AND

BB

FROM INDIVIDUALS

COULD IDENTITY CARD NUMBERS WHICH

OVER 90 PER CENT OF ALL SUBMISSIONS GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS INCLUDED CROSS-CHECKED AGAINST THE NAMES SUPPLIED.

ALL SUBMISSIONS BEARING AN ADDRESS

ADDING WRITING BY THE SURVEY OFFICE, HE SAID,

THAT THIS MECHANISM

THE EXISTENCE OF THE

WERE ACKNOWLEDGED

IN

THAT IT WAS FALSE SUBMISSIONS

THROUGH

WAS

DISCOVERED.

/MR FORD