TNAG-0070-FCO40-106-Disturbances-in-Hong-Kong-propaganda-1968 — Page 54

2.

G.F. 323

(f)

CONFIDENTIAL

3-

consciousness, understood and appreciated.

The first way requires manpower and money in extra

quantities which the Government cannot afford without

Short of borrowing money,

savings elsewhere.

which is

Revenue can

not feasible because of the external threat, it may be

possible to reshuffle effort and money to bring about some

of the changes, but certainly not all the changes which

are considered necessary. It is unfortunately a raw

fact that all desired, perhaps essential, changes cannot

be paid for until revenue is increased.

increase only as Hong Kong comes to sound terms with threat

from China. We should therefore swallow hard and accept

this fact, wreak the less costly improvements until the

"threat" is eliminated and make the most of the second way

of increasing the support of the population, which overall

costs less. The second way can be briefly defined as :

PUBLIC RELATIONS

(a)

(b)

Retaining and fostering the allegiance and goodwill of the

population of Hong Kong to the Administration is achieved

by evoking a reciprocal response to the allegiance and

goodwill of the government to the population. The acid

test used by the population for this government's role in this relationship is "Does the Government make my life and other

people's lives here safer and better?" The acid test used

by the Government for the population's role is "Will people resist persuasion that an alternative administration is more

advantageous to them?"

It is necessary for Government to take the initiative in

creating positive answers to both questions in the order given.

CONFIDENTIAL