WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1976
INAUGURATION OF MERSEYSIDE CHINESE CENTRE
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A SIGNIFICANT STRIDE TOWARDS THE IMPROVEMENT OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN LIVERPOOL WAS MADE YESTERDAY (TUESDAY) WITH THE INAUGURATION OF THE MERSEYSIDE CHINESE CENTRE - THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE AREA.
SPEAKING AT THE CENTRE'S OFFICE-BEARERS SWEARING-IN CEREMONY IN LIVERPOOL, THE HONG KONG COMMISSIONER IN LONDON, MR. S.T. KIDD, NOTED THAT THE CHINESE COMMUNITY IN BRITAIN HAD ALWAYS BEEN +WELL-KNOWN FOR BEING LAW-ABIDING, HARDWORKING AND SELF-RELIANT, BUT IT HAS ALSO BEEN FELT THAT THERE HAS BEEN A MISSING LINK BETWEEN THEM AND THE HOST SOCIETY+,
+WITH THE FOUNDING OF YOUR CENTRE, I AM CONFIDENT THAT THIS GAP WILL BE SECURELY BRIDGED, MR. KIDD STRESSED.
HE URGED CHINESE PARENTS IN BRITAIN TO ADAPT THEMSELVES +A LITTLE MORE+ TO THE WESTERN WAY OF LIFE AND NOT TO CONFINE THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN TO THE TRADITIONAL CHINESE LIFE STYLE IN ORDER TO SPAN THE CULTURAL GAP WHICH MUST INEVITABLY EXIST BETWEEN THE OLDER AND YOUNGER GENERATIONS.
THE CEREMONY WAS ATTENDED BY THE LORD MAYOR OF LIVERPOOL, COUNCILLOR RAYMOND CRAINE AND MRS. CRAINE AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES FROM VARIOUS MERSEYSIDE LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
THE MERSEYSIDE CHINESE CENTRE CAME INTO BEING AFTER MONTHS OF CONTINUED EFFORTS BY CIVIC-MINDED LOCAL CHINESE RESIDENTS, ASSISTED AND ADVISED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE.
THE CENTRE SEEKS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TO FOSTER A BETTER AND CLOSER WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHINESE POPULATION AND THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES, TO STRENGTHEN THE TIE AMONG THE CHINESE, TO PROMOTE THE IR WELFARE, AND TO RUN PART-TIME CHINESE CLASSES FOR CHILDREN.
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