THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1978
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SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES TOURS SHA TIN NEW TOWN *****
THE VISITING SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE RT. HON, DAVID ENNALS, THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON WENT ON A TOUR OF SHA TIN NEW TOWN AND SHOWED A KEEN INTEREST IN ONE OF ITS MAJOR PROJECTS - THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 1,400-BED TEACHING HOSPITAL.
MR. ENNALS WAS TOLD BY THE GOVERNMENT ARCHITECT, MR. EDWIN WONG, THAT THE GOVERNMENT HOPED TO HAVE THE HOSPITAL - WHICH WILL BE A FACULTY OF THE NEARBY CHINESE UNIVERSITY · OPERATIONAL WITHIN THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS.
THE HOSPITAL WILL HAVE A LARGE THREE-STOREY PODIUM ON WHICH THERE WILL BE ANOTHER 12-STOREY BUILDING. IT WILL ALSO HAVE ACCOMMODATION AND FACILITIES FOR 2,400 STAFF MEMBERS.
MR. ENNALS STARTED HIS TOUR OF SHA TIN AFTER LUNCH WITH THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. JOHN TODD, THE SHA TIN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. GERRY HIGGINSON, THE PWD'S SHA TIN PROJECT MANAGER, MR. JOHN DON, AND OTHER SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS.
ACCOMPANYING MR, ENNALS WERE MRS, ENNALS AND A LABOUR MP, MR. RODERICK MACFARQUHAR.
AFTER LUNCH, THE OFFICIAL PARTY WENT TO THE SHA TIN WEI LOOKOUT FOR A BRIEFING ON THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL TRANSFORM SHA TIN INTO A MODERN TOWN OF HALF A MILLION PEOPLE BY THE MID-80'S.
ACCOMPANIED BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR. DONALD LIAO, MR. ENNALS SAW THE LEK YUEN COMMERCIAL COMPLEX AND THE MARKETING AREAS. HE ENDED THE VISIT BY DROPPING IN ON A WO CHE HOUSING ESTATE RESIDENT, MR. WONG SHUI-LUN, WHO LIVES WITH HIS SON AND HIS FAMILY.
LATER MR. ENNALS AND HIS PARTY WENT TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HEADQUARTERS AT HO MAN TIN FOR A BRIEFING ON THE GOVERNMENT'S 10-YEAR HOUSING PROGRAMME.
THEY WERE MET THERE BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE.
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