GR 550
EN CLAIR
FM HONG KONG 609002
UNCLASSIFIED
G
NKK
}
Para(s)
TÒ ROUTINE F C O TELNO 1007 OF 9 OCTOBER.
THE GOVERNOR'S ANNUAL ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS DELIVERED YESTERDAY. TEXT DESPATCHED BY AIRMAIL.
2. I RECAPITUALTED HOW THE RECESSION HAD HIT HONG KONG JUST WHEN PLANS HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND THE GOVERNMENT GEARED FOR AN ACCELERATED AND DECISIVE ADVANCE ON ALL MAJOR SOCIAL PROGRAMMES, AND HOW
REPHASING HAD BEEN UNAVOIDABLE.
3. I THEN TRACED HOW AN INCREASE IN TAXES IN '74/75 AND A STIFFER INCREASE IN '75/76 PLUS BORROWINGS, COUPLED IN BOTH CASES WITH DRASTIC CUTS IN ESTIMATES, HAD MADE ROOM FOR SUBSTANTIAL AND CREDITABLE PROGRESS IN THE MAIN PRIORITY FIELDS, THOUGH NOT NECESSARILY AS MUCH AS OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CASE.
4.
MENTIONED AS AREAS IN WHICH WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED AT THE EFFECT OF LACK OF RESOURCES:
(A) SECONDARY EDUCATION
MEANS MUST BE FOUND TO AVOID FURTHER
DELAY IN IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WHITE PAPER
(B) RECREATION NOT MUCH MONEY INVOLVED BUT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG VITAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
(C) SOME ASPECTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE - AND IN PARTICULAR THE CHILD WELFARE SCHEME
(D) THE SPEED OF THE FUTURE BUILD UP OF PRODUCTION OF HOUSING: THOUGH UP TO NOW PRODUCTION HAD INCREASED AS FAST AS WAS PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE.
}
151 1 EXPLAINED
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