TNAG-0773-FCO40-977-Redevelopment-of-the-former-Kowloon-Canton-Railway-Station-1978 — Page 47

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17.

e)

that the majority of signatories are also Hong Kong belongers who, unlike the Colony's most senior decision- makers, expect to live the rest of their lives in Hong Kong;

f) that signatures were collected by a very small group of

concerned volunteers with no financial or organisational backing;

g)

h)

>

that even while the Society was widely-known to be collecting such signatures, potential signatories were confused and discouraged by His Excellency the Governor's untimely announcement in May 1977 that the KCR building would be demolished;

that signatures thus collected number more than double the turn out of voters for the last Urban Council elections in Hong Kong.

(The estimated population of Hong Kong

---4,750,000 approx.

350,000

IT

The number of people eligible to vote in Hong Kong in 1977

Number of people eligible, and actually registered as voters by the last election-

Number of people eligible registered and actually voted

37,000

7,308

It is the Urban Council which initiated demolition of the KCR building. Demolition is opposed by the elected Councillor with the highest poll in Hong Kong, namely, Mrs. Elsie Elliott, CBE. Mrs. Elliott is certainly one

of Hong Kong's best informed people on grassroots' public opinion).

The Hong Kong Heritage Society cannot presume for certain as does the Urban Council that it represents the majority opinion of nearly 5 million Hong Kong people. But it does know for certain that it has behind it a very strong if silent body of public opinion, and that its mandate to speak for the people of Hong Kong is demonstrably better founded than that of the Urban Councillors who are pressing for the building's demolition.

18.

Your Petitioners are anxious not to seem to over-state their case by repeating, ad-nauseum, in this direct appeal to Your Majesty, reasons already set out in the attached Exhibit. They therefore respectfully request that the most careful attention be given to these documents and the supporting arguments therein.

19.

In summary, Your Petitioners submit to Your Majesty a list of reasons for the retention of the KCR building and for the reconsidered redevelopment of the Tsim Sha Tsui Peninsula. These reasons are given backing in the attached Exhibits:

.to be cont'd.....