WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1979
HOWEVER, HE SAID, WHETHER OR NOT THE RESULTS OF THESE SURVEYS WOULD BE PUBLISHED+ DEPEND ON HOW CONFIDENT WE ARE OF THE IR RELIABILITY, GIVEN THAT THEY REPRESENT OUR FIRST DIRECT EFFORTS TO ENTER INTO WHAT IS IN STATISTICAL TERMS A VERY DIFFICULT AND SENSITIVE AREA.+
IN REPLY TO THE HON. ALLEN LEE ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING TO THE CONTINUING CAPABILITY OF HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURING SECTOR, MR. JEAFFRESON FULLY AGREED WITH HIM AND SAID: +THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION WILL BE DEVOTING A FULL CHAPTER TO THE SUBJECT IN ITS REPORT.+
PACE OF NT DEVELOPMENT HAS NOT FALTERED
*****
THE PACE OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS HAS NOT FALTERED AS THE EVIDENCE IS THERE FOR ALL TO SEE, THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HON. DAVID AKERS-JONES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR. AKERS-JONES SAID IN A FEW YEARS THE NEW TOWNS WITH THEIR VASTLY IMPROVED SURROUNDINGS WOULD BE AN ACCOMPLISHED FACT AND IT WAS ENCOURAGING TO SEE THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE NEW TOWNS ARE BEGINNING TO UNITE TOGETHER TO TACKLE THE BESETTING PROBLEMS OF OUR SOCIETY AND TO BUILD A NEW LIFE FOR THEMSELVES.+
HE WAS REPLYING TO POINTS RAISED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS IN THE ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE MOTION OF THANKS TO THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS.
REVIEWING THE SUPPLY OF LAND AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID PROPOSALS FOR EXPENDITURE ON DETAILED SITE INVESTIGATION AND DESIGN WORK FOR AN EXTENSION OF SHA TIN UP THE EASTERN SIDE OF TIDE COVE TO WU KWAI SHA AND ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF JUNK BAY WOULD BE PUT TO THE PUBLIC WORKS SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS WEEK.
+THESE TWO AREAS COVER SOME 460 HECTARES - OVER A THOUSAND ACRES - WITH A POTENTIAL POPULATION OF OVER 350 000, HE SAID.
+ IF ALL GOES WELL, AND I CAN SEE NO REASON WHY IT SHOULD NOT, FORMED LAND WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM 1983-84 ONWARDS, SOME TWO YEARS BEFORE THE TIME ENVISAGED BY MR. LI FOOK-WO, AND AT A TIME WHEN THE SUPPLY OF LAND IN PRESENT DEVELOPMENT AREAS IS BEGINNING TO DRY UP.+
MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THE PROPOSITION THAT WE ARE SHORT OF LAND IS AN OVER SIMPLIFICATION. +
THERE WAS A VAST POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT IN MANY PARTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES OUTSIDE THE CONFINES OF THE PRESENT PROGRAMME.
+WE HAVE BEGUN A DEVELOPMENT STUDY OF THE PLAINS AROUND YUEN LONG, BUT THERE ARE OTHER POSSIBILITIES FOR EXAMPLE, I BELIEVE THERE IS SCOPE TO EXTEND TUEN MUN NEW TOWN NOT ONLY EASTWARDS TOWARDS TAI LAM, BUT ALSO WESTWARDS BEYOND TAP SHEK KOK- AND, TO MY MIND, IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO THINK OF EXTENDING SHA TIN AROUND THE NORTH OF MA ON SHAN TOWARDS THREE FATHOMS COVE.
/+IN SHORT
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