TNAG-1014-FCO40-1264-HM-Government-s-responsibility-for-internal-affairs-in-Hong--1981 — Page 44

INFORMATION BRANCH

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

布政司署新聞科

1710 New World Tower, 16-18 Queen's Road, Central, Hong Kong 香港皇后大道中16-18號 新世界大廈1710室 電話: 5-211381

RELENTED IN REGISTRY NO. 51

13 APR 1981

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

No Mo

Cel: 5.111381

REGISTRY Action Taken

ht

Our Ref.:

IB 3371/5

本署檔號:

Your Ref.:

來函檔號:

Mrs. Helen Yu,

Hong Kong Government Office,

6 Grafton Street,

London W1X 3LB,

U.K.

Dear Heleny

23 March, 1981

this

Mr. Mortice 2+ MAC Lift 1. You may find interesting,

Frequency of 'Petitions'

of

the breakdespecially petitions done by

Mis Tse

M.A. Searle

For some time I have been intrigued by references in the media to the alleged 'fact' of the increasing number of petitions and other protests against Government. We thought it might be worthwhile doing a little research to see whether the statistics bore this out.

Although the statistics are unfortunately piecemeal, as no one here seems to keep a central record of all petitions received, it does not appear that there is a trend towards real growth in this area. The apparent increase in the number of petitions to Government House last year was largely caused by the persistence of two ladies who took up a position on the pavement outside Government House for many days! It is clear too that the definition of what constitutes a petition is a little blurred.

homeres

We would not wish you to think that we are seeking to batten down the hatches on this issue, especially as in many ways Government seeks to encourage community consciousness.

27

TH

/I