TNAG-0913-FCO40-1123-Policy-on-housing-and-resettlement-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 48

Mr Murray

***

Original at: HKK 2801.

HKK 280/1.

This Copy for:

Information only / Action on

Para(s)

Ник

HILR 360/2

Mc. 51

18 OCT 1979

Mo

117

HONG KONG: LETTER FROM MR FRANCIS EDDIS

Problem

1. To reply to a letter to Mr Blaker from Mr Francis Eddis,

a barrister in Hong Kong, in which he raises points on compensation

for land resumptions and fees for attendance at English Schools in

Hong Kong.

Recommendation

2.

Unless the Minister of State particularly wishes to reply to

Mr Eddis himself, I recommend that his Private Secretary should

do so along the lines of the attached draft.

Background

3. There is no need for the Minister to read the lengthy and

somewhat obscure enclosures to Mr Eddis's letter. He is

complaining

(a) about the inadequacy of the compensation offerred to

those whose homes or businesses are taken over to

make way for public works projects;

(b) about the so-called "parity of subsidy" system under

which the Hong Kong Government pay the same amount

per pupil to all Government subsidised schools, with

the result that, while pupils in the schools for local

children (where instruction is normally in Cantonese)

are now receiving free education up to the age of 15,

pupils who do not speak Cantonese are still having to

pay substantial (and indeed steeply increasing) fees,

since "English" schools are much more expensive to run.

14.