CONFIDENTAL
5. HONG KONG CANNOT, FOR INESCAPABLE POLITICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS, MOVE TOWARDS SELF GOVERNMENT. WITHIN THESE LIMITATIONS, HONG KONG HAS DEVELOPED A SYSTEM OF CONSULTATION WICH IS HIGHLY RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS AND FEELINGS OF THE . COMMUNITY. THIS IS ACHIEVED IN MANY WAYS: THE UMELCO SYSTEM: DISTRICT OFFICERS AND CITY DISTRICT OFFICERS: THE URBAN COUNCIL WARD SYSTEM: THE AUTONOMY OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, WE ACCEPT THAT MORE CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE THE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS AND TO WIDEN COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS. ACTION IS ALREADY IN HAND TO PROVIDE WIDER REPRESENTATION ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL: TO EXPAND AND DEVELOP MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES: AND TO BRING A WIDER CROSS SECTION OF PEOPLE ON TO ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
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6. THE PAMPHLET HIGHLIGHTS VARIOUS DEFICIENCIES IN HONG KONG'S SOCIAL SERVICES HOUSING, EDUCATION, SOCIAL WELFARE, MEDICAL SERVICES AND LABOUR. INDEED, IT WAS THESE INADEQUACIES WHICH LED
THE GOVERNOR IN 1972 TO ANNOUNCE THE AMBITIOUS PLANS TO IMPROVE THEM. LONG TERM PROGRAMMES ARE NOW UNDERWAY, THOUGH THE ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE LAST TWO YEARS HAS NOT PERMITTED THE RATE OF DEVELOPMENT WHICH WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE. NEVERTHELESS GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO DEVELOP SOCIAL SERVICES TO A LEVEL OF WHICH HONG KONG CAN BE PROUD.
7. GENERALLY THE PAMPHLET HAS FEW FACTUAL INACCURACIES, THOUGH IT GIVES AN INCOMPLETE, AND AT TIMES OUT OF DATE, PICTURE OF HONG KONG, WE ARE NOT SURE OF THE IMPACT IT WILL HAVE IN BRITAIN, BUT WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT WILL EVOKE MUCH SYMPATHY HERE. IT IS A MUCH MORE REASONED ARTICLE THAN HONG KONG - A CASE TO ANSWER'' AND AS SUCH HAS MORE CREDIBILITY. BUT IT IS WRITTEN BY AN EXPATRIATE WHO LEFT HONG KONG FIVE YEARS AGO AND WITH WHOM LOCAL PEOPLE WILL FIND IT DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY, PARTICULARLY WHEN HE APPLIES U.K. TYPE SOLUTIONS TO HONG KONG PROBLEMS, WITHOUT SUFFICIENT REGARD TO THE UNDERLYING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO
COUNTRIES. UNQUOTE.
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PS/MR ROWLANDS PS/PUS
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
CLA GIPD NEWS D PS
MR LARMOUR
MR STANLEY
MR MALE
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CONFIDENTIAL
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