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3. Mr Parry's Question about Lord Goronwy-Roberts' meeting with the Heung Yee Kuk is the second that he has asked on this topic in the last week. Lir Parry was present at the kinister of State's meeting with the Kuk on 26 April and can hardly expect the reply to his Question to reveal anything new.
4. The Crown Lands Resumption Ordinance the subject of Hr Parry's third Question governs the amount of compensation payable to those land owners dispossessed by the Crown in Hong Kong. Its operation is of particular interest to the Heung Yeo Kuk, many of whose members are wealthy landowners, and has long been a source of grievance to them. The Governor of Hong Kong has recently informed the department that he is dissatisfied with the workings of the Ordinance and is considering the establishment of a commission "to advise whether the provisions of the Crown Land Resumption Ordinance as applied to the Now Territories' land owners are fair and reasonable ...". He has, howevor, taken no final decision and intends to seek. the advice of his Executive Council before doing so. He has said that if he did decide to appoint a commission he would wish to announce this in his annual address in October at the opening of the next session of the Legislative Council.
5. · I submit draft replies which have been agreed by the Hong Kong Government (Hong Kong telegram no. 753 of 27 July). The Parliamentary Unit have been consulted in the preparation of the reply to the first of Mr Parry's Questions.
27 July 1977
cc:
PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts
Mr Hawley
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CONFIDENTI AL
JA B Stewart
Hong Kong & General Dept
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