TNAG-0614-FCO40-762-Visit-by-delegation-from-Heung-Yee-Kuk-(Rural-Consultive-Cou-1977 — Page 65

Moiton Ditu = MN Healt

Ry

Heung Yee Kuk Delegation's Meeting

with Douglas Furd, M.D.

اله

Eater

As arranged with the F.C.O., I contacted Hurd to make an appointment for him to meet the Heung Yee Kuk delegation and I accompanied them to the House of Commons on April 27 at 11.15 a.m.

I did not feel that it was politic to take notes at the time and the following is a general account of the discussion.

After the usual curtesies and a photograph Hurd opened the meeting by saying that Mrs. Thatcher had been very interested to hear of the Kuk's delegation when she met the leaders in Hong Kong and had instructed him to arrange to see them while they were in London. Cheung Yan Lung replied thanking Mr. Hurd for arranging a meeting and said that the Kuk was very grateful for the interest Mrs. Thatcher had taken and was grateful for Mr. Hurd seeing them at short notice.

Hurd asked for details of the representations they had made to the British Government and Cheung replied by handing him a copy of the petition they had presented to the Minister. He added that he had the Minister's permission to do this and s d that he had nothing to add to the points made in it. Hurd then asked what was the most important point. Cheung replied "representation for the New Territories in the Legislative and Executive Councils", Having said this, he warmed to the theme and described the other points in the petition and in the various public statements made by the Heung Yee Kuk. He mentioned the abolition of outdated colonial legis- lation; reforms to land policy; and provision of public facilities in the N.T. on a similar scale to the urban areas. He continued for some length in this vein but emphasised throughout the Kuk's support for the Hong Kong Government and its strong desire for prosperity and stability in Hong Kong. In this connection, he said that the Government land aquisition and land clearance policies were producing confrontation with the N.T. people and the Kuk was worried about the possibility of civil disorder. He said that the delegation had organised in response to strong demand amongst New Territories people and that if they were unable to achieve results in London, New Territories people might think of turning elswhere for help. (This was translated by Charles Yeung as "taking other less desirable steps".

/Hurd.