WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1977
6
+THE OTHER POINT OF CONCERN,+ SIR MURRAY MENTIONED, IS THE THREAT TO OUR TEXTILE INDUSTRY'S ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO GROW IN THE FACE OF RESTRICTIVE ATTITUDES IN OUR MAJOR MARKETS.+
WHILE SUCH ATTITUDES WERE WRONGLY BASED AND DANGEROUS TO THE EXPANSION OF WORLD TRADE, THE GOVERNOR REMARKED:
NEVERTHELESS, THEY ADD NEW URGENCY TO THE LONG TERM DESIRABILITY OF BROADENING OUR INDUSTRIAL BASE.+
SIR MURRAY THEN OUTLINED THE STEPS THE GOVERNMENT IS TAKING TO PROVIDE THE IMPETUS FOR EXPANDING INTO HIGHER TECHNOLOGICAL INDUSTRY.
+THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTION THE GOVERNMENT CAN MAKE, HE SAID, + IS THROUGH PROVISION OF ADEQUATE SUPPLIES OF LAND ON WHICH NEW INDUSTRY CAN BE BUILT, THE REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON LAND PRODUCTION, WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED VERY SHORTLY, SHOWS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE PRODUCING SOME 2,900 GROSS HECTARES OF LAND UP TO 1981/82.
+OF THIS, HE SAID, +SOME 613 WILL BE FOR SALE TO INDUSTRY AND SOME 580 FOR PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PURPOSES. IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF PLANNED URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THIS WILL PROVIDE AN AVERAGE OF 250 GROSS HECTARES A YEAR FOR PRIVATE, INCLUDING INDUSTRIAL, DEVELOPMENT.+
+THIS IS MORE THAN WE HAVE ACHIEVED OVER A COMPARABLE PERIOD BEFORE, AND IF WISELY USED, SHOULD BE ADEQUATE TO HONG KONG'S IMMEDIATE NEEDS,+ SIR MURRAY SAID.
OF 613 GROSS HECTARES OF LAND FOR INDUSTRY UP TO 1981-82, 168 GROSS HECTARES ARE FOR THE INDUSTRIAL ESTATES AT TAI PO AND YUEN LONG.
+SINCE THIS LAND WILL BE LET AT COST OF FORMATION, IT IS MOST IMPORTANT THAT IT SHOULD BE ALLOTTED ONLY TO PROJECTS WHICH WILL DIVERSIFY THE INDUSTRIAL BASE AND INTRODUCE HIGHER LEVELS OF TECHNOLOGY, HE ADDED.
IN ADDITION, SIR MURRAY STATED, NEW INTENSIVE AND CONCLUSIVE INVESTIGATIONS BOTH BY CONSULTING ENGINEERS AND THE PWD WILL START VERY SHORTLY BOTH ON A FIXED ROAD CROSSING TO LANTAU AND ON THE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF THE NORTH SHORE OF THE ISLAND.+
IN ADDITION TO THE PRODUCTION OF LAND, THE GOVERNMENT, THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ARE_COLLABORATING TO PROMOTE THE INTRODUCTION INTO HONG KONG OF NEW TYPES OF INDUSTRY FROM OVERSEAS.
THE RAPID EXPANSION OF SECONDARY EDUCATION, THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND POLYTECHNIC, ALL CONTRIBUTE TO ENSURING THAT EXPANSION OF NEW INDUSTRY WILL NOT BE INHIBITED BY LACK OF SUITABLE EDUCATED PERSONNEL, HE CONCLUDED.