TNAG-0912-FCO40-1122-Policy-on-housing-and-resettlement-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 123

RESTRICTED

HKK 3602

RECOIVAT

GR 800

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG 210640Z MAY 79

TO PRIORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TOP COPY

Mo

222.21

77

TELNO.607 OF 21

MAY.

76

YOUR TELNO.296.

1. THE PROPOSED REPLY AS SET OUT IN PARA.2

IS AGREED.

OF YOUR TELEGRAM

2. IN THE EVENT THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S REPLY IN LEGCO ON 9 MAY 1979, THE QUESTION PUT, AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S REPLY, IS AS FOLLOWS

"'QUESTION: HAVING REGARD TO THE DECISION OF THE HIGH COURT

IN THE YAUMATEI BOAT DWELLERS CASE AND VARIOUS EXPRESSIONS OF PUBLIC CONCERN, HAS THE GOVERNMENT ANY PLANS TO AMEND THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE WITH RESPECT TO CONTROL OF MEETINGS AND PUBLIC GATHERINGS ?

SIR,

THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MINDFUL OF THE CONSIDERABLE

IT CAME AUTHORITY VESTED IN IT BY THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE. INTO BEING IN RATHER DIFFERENT TIMES, THOUGH CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF IT WAS NOT CONCEIVED IN THE CONTEXT OF ANY PARTICULAR SITUATION OF DISORDER. OURS IS A COMMUNITY WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN INTOLERANT OF DISORDER. IT HAS THEREFORE BEEN A COMMUNITY

WHICH HAS BEEN PREPARED TO TOLERATE SOME CONSTRAINTS ON FREEDOM

OF ASSOCIATION.

I HOPE IT IS OBVIOUS THAT IT HAS NEVER BEEN

CONSTRAINTS <

HERE FREEDOM C

EXERCISED. Tum

KEEP A PROPER B/

TOGETHER IN PUBLIC ANL

ENOUGH, BUT IT IS PERHAPS WORTH SAYING

OBJECT OF GOVERNMENT POLICY TO IMPOSE

PROCIATION AS SUCH, NOR IS THE ISSUE

ICE WAY IN WHICH THAT FREEDOM IS WS IM WAS TO ENSURE THAT IT COULD VEEN THE RIGHT OF PEOPLE TO MEET

INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE,

RESTRICTED

THUS