TNAG-0979-FCO40-1198-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1980 — Page 198

4

belonging while those of Hong Kong do otherwise. The British Government should not apply the same policy on the people of Commonwealth countries and those of the Colonies in that. It is duty-bound for the Mother Country to grant more privilege to the latter than the former. Hence we are in the hope that if and when the new immigrant laws are introduced, the British Government should do something in favour of Hong Kong immigrants, and should not administer strict Immigrant Clauses on them similar to those applied to the Commonwealth countries.

2. More Senior Councillors of the Kuk to participate in Legislation

The New Territories occupy 88% of the entire area of the Colony and in the beginning of the 80s the population of the New Territories will reach 2 million. There are, however, very few Members of the Legislative Council that are well acquainted with New Territories affairs. As a result, problems in respect of the New Territories have rarely been put forward for discussion in Council meetings; an imbalance in the Government administration which is reflected by the Government performances in New Territories affairs. Such a large community as it is, is sadly in want of substantial

representation in the Council! This does not only reveal the ineptitude of the composition of the Legislative Council a lack of full representation throughout the Colony

--

•

but also the provision of

inadequate services to the New Territories, which is a much regretted imbalance in the administration.

For this reason, our proposal is that more Senior Councillors of the Kuk be seleted to sit on the

Legislative Council.

3. Low compensation set out for land resumed by the Government through compulsory acquisition

The Government realized that in the 80s the

New Territories would require more public facilities

• •

/P. 5