SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1978
AUSTRALIAN MPS VISIT SHA TIN NEW TOWN
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THE PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO THE PACIFIC REGION AND ASIA FROM QUEENSLAND TODAY (SATURDAY) SAW THE OLD AND THE NEW SHA TIN,
LED BY MR, NORM LEE, MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND ADMINISTRATION, THE NINE-MEMBER AUSTRALIAN DELEGATION TOURED THE OLD SHATIN MARKET WHICH IS TO BE EVENTUALLY CLEARED TO MAKE WAY FOR A NEW TOWN CENTRE.
THEY INSPECTED SHA TIN NEW TOWN'S FIRST PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE, LEK YUEN ESTATE, AND ITS MANY MODERN FACILITIES. THEY ALSO VISITED A FAMILY AT LEK YUEN AND TOURED THE NEW MARKET AND SUPERMARKET AREAS.
THE VISITORS STARTED THEIR HALF-DAY FACT-FINDING TOUR WITH A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION WITH THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. JOHN TODD, AT THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION HEADQUARTERS, KOWLOON.
ACCOMPANIED BY THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES (DEVELOPMENT), MR. ROBERT UPTON AND OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS, THE MPS WENT UP TO A VANTAGE POINT AT SHA TIN WAI TO TAKE A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE NEW TOWN'S DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
THEY WERE BRIEFED BY THE SHA TIN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. GERRY HIGGINSON, AND THE SHA TIN PROJECT MANAGER, MR. KWEI SEE-KAN ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TOWN INTO A BALANCED, SELF-CONTAINED COMMUNITY OF HALF A MILLION PEOPLE BY MID-1980'S.
ONE MEMBER OF THE DELEGATION, MR. SAM DOUMANY, SAID LATER HE WAS GREATLY IMPRESSED BY THE MAMMOUTH SCALE OF THE NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.
+THIS IS REALLY POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE EFFORT BY THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG TO HOUSE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE,+ HE SAID.
ANOTHER DELEGATION MEMBER, MR. LES YEWDALE, SUMMED UP HIS IMPRESSIONS OF SHA TIN IN THREE WORDS: +IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE+.
THE QUEENSLAND PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION IS ON THE SIXTH LEG OF THE IR PACIFIC REGION AND ASIA TOUR, HAVING VISITED TONGA, AMERICAN SAMOA, HAWAII, GUAM AND JAPAN. THE DELEGATION WILL LEAVE FOR SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA THIS AFTERNOON.
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