THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1978
SIR MURRAY SAID THAT AT THE THIRD NEW TOWN OF TUEN MUN, RECLAMATION OF THE CENTRAL AREA WAS COMPLETE AND BY THE END OF 1980 THE TOWN'S POPULATION WOULD BE MORE THAN 100,000 AND WOULD EXPAND QUICKLY THEREAFTER. HE NOTED THAT AN INDUSTRIAL CENTRE WAS ALSO WELL ESTABLISHED AT TUEN MUN.
SIR MURRAY RECALLED THAT WHEN HE ATTENDED THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF THE 20TH TERM OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK IN 1972, HE HAD MENTIONED THE PROBLEM OF THE RURAL SPRAWL OVER LOW-LYING LAND.
+WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM,+ HE SAID, BECAUSE, AFTER CAREFUL EXAMINATION, IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT ANY OVERALL SOLUTION WOULD INVOLVE LARGE-SCALE INTERFERENCE WITH PRIVATE RIGHTS AND DISTURBANCE TO THE LIVELIHOOD OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SMALL HOLDERS AND FARMERS WHO WERE LARGELY CONTENT WITH THEIR PRESENT HOMES AND PATTERN OF LIFE.
+UNTIL, THEREFORE, THEY ARE READY FOR COMPREHENSIVE URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AT BEST WE MUST ENSURE THAT ACCEPTABLE STANDARDS OF SANITATION ARE MAINTAINED IN THESE RURAL AREAS. THAT STREAM COURSES ARE CLEANED AND THAT SCHEMES FOR VILLAGE LIGHTING AND WATER SUPPLY ARE PROGRESSIVELY IMPLEMENTED.+
THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT COUPLED WITH THESE IMPROVEMENTS, A CONSCIOUS PROGRAMME TO IMPROVE AND DEVELOP THE MARKET TOWNS THE FOCUS FOR THE SOCIAL LIFE OF THE PEOPLE LIVING IN THESE RURAL AREAS - WAS NOW UNDERWAY.
+WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS IN EACH OF THEM NEW MARKETS SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND RECREATION GROUNDS WILL BE BUILT,+ HE SAID.
+PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES ARE NOW BEING CONSTRUCTED AT YUEN LONG, TẠI PO, CHEUNG CHÂU, MÙI WO, TẠI C, SAI KUNG, AND A START HAS BEEN MADE IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING FANLING SHEUNG SHUI INTO A LARGE MODERN TOWN.
+ THE COMPLETION OF AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF PUBLIC HOUSING IN THESE TOWNS SHOULD HOPEFULLY STOP THE FURTHER SPREAD OF UNSIGHTLY AND INSANITARY SQUATTING INTO SURROUNDING LANDS.+
SIR MURRAY ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD ADOPTED A POSITIVE PROGRAMME TO PRESERVE THE COUNTRYSIDE FOR RECREATION UNDER THE COUNTRY PARKS AUTHORITY.
THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME BEING ADMINISTERED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT INVOLVED AN INVESTMENT OF $70 MILLION, OF WHICH $12.4 MILLION WAS BEING SPENT THIS YEAR IN BUILDING MANAGEMENT CENTRES, ACCESS ROADS, TREE PLANTING AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS. HE ADDED THAT IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF COUNTRY PARKS, THE INTERESTS OF VILLAGERS WOULD BE PROTECTED AND THAT IN THIS RESPECT. THE MOVICE AD CO-OPERATION OF THE RURAL COMMITTEES HAS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE.
/SIR MURRAY NOTED