7323 D073615 280M 4/74 Cr.P.C. 839/3
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{
Registry No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret,
Secret.
Confidential,
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
DRAFT LETTER
To:-
Brook Bernacchi Esq OBE QC JP The Reform Club of Hong Kong 801 Fu Hing Building
10 Jubilee Street
Hong Kong
Type 1 +
FROM
Lord Goronwy-Roberts
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
In Confidence
1
Thank you for your letter of 16 January, enclosing the memorandum which the Reform Club proposed to issue.
I have, of course, consulted the Governor on this memorandum and, in accordance with the usual practice, my reply will be sent to the Keform Club through the Governor in the near future.
It was a great pleasure to meet you and your fellow Urban Councillors during my recent visit to Hong Kong and to see something of the excellent work which you are all doing.
My wife has asked me to tell you how much she appreciated her all too short discussion with you about drug addiction and treatment. I wish that I myself had had more time during my visit to look into these vital questions. However, there will, I hope, be another opportunity and I already know how much the effective treatment of drug addicts in Hong Kong depends on the devoted work of bodies such as SARDA and of persons like yourself.
立
P
7323 D073615 280M 4/74 Cr.P.C 839/3
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P
1] • the Almanake cand ne - Map, vědek a Sams Amad
Registry No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret.
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified.
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
DRAFT
LETTER
To:-
Brook Bernacchi Esq OBE C JP The Reform Club of Hong Kong] 801 Fu Hing Building
10 Jubilee Street Hong Kong
Type 1 +
FROM
Sir M MacLehose
Telephone No. Ext.
Department
In accordance with normal practice, I am directed by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Goronwy-Roberts, to reply to the memorandum by the Reform Club of Hong Kong enclosed with your letter to him of 16 January 1975.
The Minister is appreciative of the careful thought which has obviously been given by the Reform Club to the preparation of its memorandum.
The Minister is glad of the Reform Club's understanding of the difficulties of proceeding to any form of elected legislature in Hong Kong.
He
believes that the Legislative Council should include people who can speak from the background of as many elements of society in Hong Kong as possible, but that they should be qualified to speak for as much of that society as possible rather than for any one section or faction only.
The Minister was impressed during his visit to Hong Kong with the calibre and devotion of Urban Councillors. However, he is of the view that Hong Kong is too small and too concentrated for the establishment of anything like a fully fledged local government body exercising wide powers under a
central authority.
/The Minister
9
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P
1
53
The Minister agrees that there should be
no cut back in the social programmes of the Hong Kong Government; but he is mindful of the difficulties
created at a time of severe economic stringency. He knows that it is the aim of the Hong Kong Government to press forward as fast as is possible in the prevailing circumstances.
Hong Kong enjoys a large measure of autonomy
in its financial affairs. The Minister is satisfied
that the decision to float the Hong Kong dollar was taken in the best interests of the Colony.
A Working Party has been established to examine the question of unregistrable doctors in Hong Kong. The Minister understands that the report of this Working Party will be ready within the next few weeks.
With regard to the return of illegal immigrants, the Minister has commented that the Reform Club will know that the present policy is a return to the arrangements which applied up to 1967. It is obvious that Hong Kong cannot allow unrestricted immigration. The Minister shares the Reform Club's concern that the regulations should be applied humanely and he is satisfied that humanitarian considerations are taken fully into account in
deciding whether to permit the entry of any particular individual.
The present agreement on defence costs between the British and Hong Kong Government expires in April 1976. Discussions as to the size of garrison and Hong Kong's contribution to its cost thereafter are continuing at an official level and it is hoped that agreement will be reached before long on these matters
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