FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1976
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+ IT WAS NOT UNTIL EARLY THIS YEAR THAT YOU STATED THAT YOU NEEDED ADDITIONAL LAND, AND AS YOU ARE AWARE FROM THE LETTERS DATED JULY 8, 1976, FROM THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES TO CONSORTIA 1-4, THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL HAS APPROVED PRIVATE TREATY GRANTS OF ADDITIONAL AREAS TO THE FOUR CONSORTIA WHICH HAVE FORMALLY APPLIED.+
SIR DENYS ALSO DEALT WITH THE ROLE PLAYED BY THE TANNERIES IN THE LEATHER-GOODS INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG.
+WHILST NOT DISPUTING THE CONTRIBUTION MADE BY THE LOCAL TANNERY INDUSTRY, I WOULD POINT OUT THAT CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN HALF THE LEATHER USED IN THE LOCAL INDUSTRY IS IMPORTED, HE SAID.
+THERE IS NO DOUBT, THEREFORE, THAT ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF SUPPLY ARE AVAILABLE TO THE LOCAL GLOVE INDUSTRY.+
IN HIS LETTER, SIR DENYS NOTED THAT THE TANNERIES OPERATORS HAD NOT ACCEPTED REPEATED OFFERS FROM THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO GIVE ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE ON THE EFFLUENT TREATMENT MEASURES THAT WILL BE REQUIRED AT KWAI CHUNG.
HE ADDED THAT A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SHEUNG SHUI AREA WAS NOW BEING PREPARED AND WOULD BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY.
+YOU HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE REQUIREMENT TO MOVE FROM SHEUNG SHUI SINCE 1972 AND HAVE HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS,+ HE SAID.
+THERE CAN BE NO POSTPONEMENT OF THE DEADLINE OF JULY 31, AND I WOULD URGE YOU, THEREFORE, TO CLOSE DOWN AND REMOVE YOUR OPERATIONS FROM SHEUNG SHUI BY THAT DATE, FAILING WHICH THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO CLEAR THE AREA IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS.+
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