MONDAY, AUGUST 21, 1978
GOVERNOR VISITS YUEN LONG DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, CONTINUED HIS ROUND OF VISITS TO NEWLY ESTABLISHED DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES TODAY.
ACCOMPANIED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, SIR MURRAY MET MEMBERS OF THE YUEN LONG DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM OF THE YUEN LONG DISTRICT SPORTS ASSOCIATION CLUBHOUSE TO LISTEN TO THEIR PLANS FOR THE COMING YEAR AND TO OFFER HIS HELP AND ADVICE.
SIR MURRAY WAS TOLD THAT THE BOARD HAD SUCCESSFULLY CO-ORDINATED A WIDE VARIETY OF CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS PROGRAMMES TO BE HELD THROUGHOUT THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT. IT ALSO HOPED TO DOUBLE ITS FUNDS FROM $500,000 TO $1 MILLION FOR THE 1979/80 FISCAL YEAR.
THE BOARD HAS FINANCED THE YUEN LONG DISTRICT ARTS ASSOCIATION'S CHINESE ORCHESTRA AS WELL AS A BRASS BAND TO BE ESTABLISHED THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SIR MURRAY WAS TOLD THAT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD HAD BEEN GIVEN A GENERAL OUTLINE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME AS IT AFFECTS THE DISTRICT AND THEIR ADVICE HAD BEEN SOUGHT ON PRIORITIES.
THE BOARD PLANS TO ESTABLISH ABOUT 40 TEMPORARY REFUSE COLLECTION POINTS AROUND THE DISTRICT WITH THE AIM OF REMOVING SOME OF THE UNTIDY AND UNPLEASANT SPOTS IN THE DISTRICT.
OTHER PROGRAMMES ON MINOR LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS PLANNED FOR THE CURRENT YEAR INVOLVE REPAIRS AND RENOVATION OF PLAYGROUNDS AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF REST AREAS IN YUEN LONG TOWN.
THE BOARD WILL SPEND A TOTAL OF $500,000 ON MINOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS AND CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS PROGRAMMES IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
THE BOARD IS SEEKING ADDITIONAL FUNDS OF ABOUT $1,000,000 FOR 1979/80 IN ORDER TO KEEP PACE WITH ITS MORE AMBITIOUS AND COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMMES PROPOSED FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
THE BOARD WELCOMES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MAJOR DISTRICT NEWSPAPER BY A LEADING PUBLISHER, NOTING THAT THE FIRST EDITION WILL BE DISTRIBUTED IN YUEN LONG AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
SINCE ITS INAUGURATION IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR, THE BOARD HAS HELD FIVE MEETINGS AND HAS SET UP TWO SUB-COMMITTEES ON MINOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS AND LOCAL PUBLIC WORKS AND PROMOTION OF CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
SIR MURRAY WAS TOLD THAT ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SERVED ON AT LEAST ONE OF THE SUB-COMMITTEES WITH SOME MEMBERS SERVING ON BOTH SUB-COMMITTEES.
THE BOARD NOW HAS 15 UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AND FIVE OFFICIAL MEMBERS.
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