TNAG-0317-FCO40-353-Policy-of-housing-and-resettlement-in-Hong-Kong-problem-of-s-1971 — Page 102

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effort into remedying the housing situation, compatible with our other

endeavours.

9.

It is interesting to note that the writer has not had the courage to sign his letter. This perhaps indicates that he knows he is twisting the truth. Judging from the fluency of his English he is an expatriate. He has probably not been long in Hong Kong and has a wholly unbalanced picture of the problems here. At some time or another in his life he has been frustrated by Authority and this makes him critical of Government activities generally. He is naive if he really believes what he says and it is probably not worth dealing with the tissue of half truths and evasions which sprinkle his letter. However, apart from the housing issues there are some other glaring inaccuracies which must be corrected.

10.

On page 6 of his letter the writer compares our immigrant problem with that of West Germany. His figures are wholly misleading; in 1945 the Japanese left Hong Kong in a shambles and its population was 3/4 million (it was 1 million in 1939); it is now 4 million. In the intervening 25 years about 12 million persons have entered Hong Kong legally or illegally. These immigrants, most of whom have been young, have certainly contributed vastly to the expansion of the Colony's economic activities but only a fool or a malevolent critic could fail to recognise the acute problems this brings in respect of housing, schools, hospitals and so on.

11.

On page 3, there is an allegation that Hong Kong has more crime in absolute terms than Britain. It would be more appropriate to

The make comparison on a city basis rather than on a country basis. attached table which gives comparisons with London and three American cities indicate that Hong Kong's record is extremely favourable.

12.

The allegations on pages 9 and 10 that the budget surpluses are intended for the "elite" here and for U.K. Government are too stupid even to comment on.

13.

As regards the comments on the English language, the Chinese Language Committee has already produced three reports which make firm recommendations for change in this field.