TNAG-0470-FCO40-535-Legislation-for-protection-of-wild-life-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 131

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I am the mother of only one child, but I feel deeply responsible for what kind of world he inherits from us.

Please forward to the relevant places an appeal to continue to create effective legislation and to enforce it. Patricia Penn tells me that in many cases the 'inspectors' who are sent round in an effort to enforce what legislation there is do not know one species from another, and could not tell if they were looking at a healthy animal or a sick one. This makes a nonsense of inspections. Although I am concerned at the threat to endangered species one must also bear in mind the importance of the proper treatment of those species in which trade is allowed.

The Hong Kong Government Office, via its Principal Information Officer Mr Boxall, inform me that there is stricter legislation covering the import of animals into Hong Kong than into Britain. I have been endeavouring to check this statement, so far in vain. I have now made the point to him that even were this so it does not justify either side, in that two wrongs cannot make a right. Even so, one cannot privately help the hope that the statement was incorrect, otherwise it makes a rather insecure platform from which to admonish others!

Yours faithfully,

Jacqueline Turmer

(Mrs) J. Turmer