G. I'm really not going to be led on this matter. This is a matter for the govemment to decide on later on, but I repeat I don't think a person's profession matters. It's a question of personality and comprehension and standing.
Q. Sir Murray, how do you personally feel about another term if it is put upon your shoulders.
G. Wel, shall we leave that on one side for the time being. Everyone knows I'm a great enthusiast of Hong Kong. Let's leave it at that.
Q. Sir Murray, there has been speculation here while you have been away that Hong Kong govemment is coming under strong pressure from Whitehall... labour, housing and education. Do you care to comment on this.
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G. Well I think that yes I have noticed regular speculation in the press about this. I think that really your question was courteously phrased to hide another one which really was, 'is Hong Kong being forced by the United Kingdom to do things in the United Kingdom's interest and not Hong Kong. Do I interpret correctly? Yes, obviously. Well, no is the answer. Certainly no. This is a complote misconception. I have always found the British govemment helpful- and constructive and stout in their support of Hong Kong both in the United Kingdom and vis a vis foreign countries thinking of ways and means of restricting our exports. HM are interested in my experience in just exactly the same things that we are interested in here. They know the deficiencies that exist in Hong Kong. They know that these result from circumstances which were largely beyond the control of the Hong Kong government. They know what our plans are for meeting these deficiencies by the early '80s and just like all of us here they áre desparately anxious that these plans should be seen through and implemented. There is certainly a continuous dialogue with HM about progress and I found this process of dialogue helpful and constructive and it certainly resulted in complete identity with you and as I say steady support from HMG. It is quite wrong as I think some people feel to see this in terms of interference by HMG. You must realise that constitutionally ministers in the UK are responsible for Hong Kong and they have to defend Hong Kong policies in the House of Commons and to anybody in the UK who criticizes then. Consequently it is only reasonable that they should be informed about what we are doing and that there should be a dialogue about them. Now I have been talking about the British govemment, and of course there are some people in the United Kingdom outside the govemment who are genuinely concerned about Hong Kong or anxious to get at the facts or patently hostile. And they sometimes say things which annoy us here. Well I think that we have got to be adult about this and realise that they are not the government, and that we should not be too upset about what they say. By the same token we don't want to be complacent and brush aside all criticism just because perhaps it may contain erroneous facts or an element of underlying hostility.
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