Sc.3
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to one in favour.↓
And, as was pointed out by the
Far Eastern Economic Review, which sponsored that appraisal by Mr. Webb, the once thorny issue of whether Great Britain should remain in the Common Market
was decided by a referendum with a 67 per cent majority
in support of continued membership. That decided
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the issue once and for all.
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Mr. Norman Webb has further pointed
out that the most reliable information is from the
territory-wide public surveys conducted by professional pollsters; and when these surveys are properly analysed and understood, there is at least a
there is at least a two to one majority
in favour of the introduction of direct elections
this year.
There is, of course, still a split;
but, in fact, there has been a clear majority support
for direct elections in 1988. And yet Members have
still repeatedly echoed a statement from the White
Paper that "the community is divided over the timing
of this move. Sir, in the light of these observations
from Mr, Webb, I would respectfully submit that this
corner-stone in the Government's case for delaying
23 the introduction of direct elections for three years
has been effectively and utterly destroyed.
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In any event, it is clear that
Continu
the Government cannot still try to interpret public
opinion as against the introduction of direct elections
And I hope, Sir, we have heard the last
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this year.
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of this untruth.
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Photograph 25
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May I now turn to paragraph 25.
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It says : The maintenance of stability requires
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that the development of Hong Kong's system of representative
government should continue to be evolutionary rather
than revolutionary; that each step should be carefully
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