TNAG-0305-FCO40-341-Use-of-Chinese-as-official-language-in-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 163

學聯

OUR REF:

YOUR REF:

IBIMUS

HKFS

hong kong federation of students 香港專上學生聯會

23c waterloo road, kowloon hong kong

九龍窩打老道 十三號C

tel. k-888137, 840048, 840049

telegram "HKFSTUDENT "

成員學生會

Member

Unions :

中文大學崇基學院學生幫

Chung Chi College Student

Union, Chinese University of

Hong Kong

葛量洪教育學院學生會

Grantham College of

Education Students Assn.

香港浸會學院學生會

Hong Kong Baptist College

Student Union

香港工業學院學生會 Hong Kong Technical College

Hong Kong University

Student Union

香港大學學生會

Student Union

嶺南書院學生會

Lingnan College Student

Union

中文大學新亞書院學生會

New Asia College Student

Union, Chinese University of Hong Kong

羅富國師範學院學生會

Northcote College of Education Students' Assn.

拍立基師範學院學生彎

Sir Robert Black College of

Education Student Assn.

中文大學聯合書院學生會

United College Student

Union, Chinese University of Hong Kong

幹事會:

Executive Committee

長

President

Mr. Chung Lun nap

鍾倫

C.U.

中大

Mr. Kwan Pun-fong H.K.U.

副會長

Deputy President

關品方

副會長國際事務

港大

International Vice-president

Mr. Freeman Huen Fook-nam

禤福南

中大

常務秘書

C.U.

General Secretary

Miss Morna Sung Mel-hung

宋美紅 港大 H.K.U.

本港事務秘書

B.C.

漫會

Local Affairs Secretary

Mr. Mok Kam-chuen

龔錦泉

財務秘書

Financial Secretary

Mr. Lam Shek-wing

林錫榮

福利秘書

Student Welfare Secretary

Mr. Thomas Chan Chat-yin

陳澤賢 中大

新聞秘書

Press Secretary

梁廣林

體背秘書

T.C.

工事

C.U.

Mr. Leung Kwong-lam C.U.

Sports Secretary

中大

Miss Helena Tso Wong-hing

营旺卿 14 N.C.E.

學生旅遊秘書

Student Travel Affairs Secretary

Miss Malina Chan Sim-ching

陳輝貞 浸會

B.C.

2

HKFS considers legislation essential

since when Chinese as an Official Language is provided for in the law, any Crown servant who fails to comply with the law could be compelled by the Court to perform his public duty. The 2nd Report of the Chinese Language Committee revealed shockingly that the bilingual policy of government has not been actually implemented by various government departments.

During our recent meeting with the Committee, one of the members, while pledging full support to our proposition, raised the question of uncertainty on the recognition of the Chinese language as an Official Language in Hong Kong, a British Colony. Our position is that we view the whole matter a local issue, and that the Legislative Council in Hong Kong is in the right position to deal with the matter without any changes in the Letters Patent and Royal Instructions. Your opinion on this matter will be most appreciated.

During your visit to Hong Kong last year I believe you are aware of the popular desire of all sectors of the community that the Chinese language be recognised officially as equal in

Technical status to the English language.

difficulties and legal considerations has too often been used as excuses to confuse the issue. Now that the Chinese Language Committee has spent more than nine months to deliberate on these and has offered practicable solutions, failure to recommend Chinese as an Official Language will only confirm the general belief that the Committee

was appointed as a delaying tactic. One signifi- cant aspect of the movement is that all along, only peaceful means, such as public poll, forums,

Reluctance signature campaign etc, were employed.

of the Hong Kong Government to take swift and decisive actions to heed public desire will

convince the public, in particular students, that peaceful means through negbitations, are ineffective

in the promotion of social justice. Undoubtedly such loss in confidence in the authorities is detrimental to the interest of the community at

large and will only invite trouble to all parties concerned.

? a

threat