WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1982
23
PRESERVING A VILLAGE LINK WITH THE PAST
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IT WAS IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE LINKS WITH THE PAST AND MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO THE PRESENT GENERATION, THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES, MR B.D. WILSON, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HE WAS SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY AT SHEUNG YIU VILLAGE IN WHICH MR LUI CHE-WOO, CHAIRMAN OF THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS, UNVEILED A PLAQUE TO MARK THE COMPLETION OF THE FIRST STAGE OF RESTORATION OF THE VILLAGE.
MR WILSON THANKED THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS FOR DONATING $200 000 FOR RESTORING THE GATEHOUSE LEADING INTO THE VILLAGE, WHICH IS THE FIRST PHASE OF RESTORATION.
+WE'D LIKE THE TUNG WAH TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THE IR ACTION IN HELPING TO RESTORE AN HISTORICAL VILLAGE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND OF FUTURE GENERATIONS WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE BE UNAWARE OF HOW NEW TERRITORIES VILLAGERS LIVED IN FORMER DAYS,+ MR WILSON SAID.
SITUATED ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF PAK TAM CHUNG ESTUARY IN NORTH SAI KUNG, SHEUNG YIU VILLAGE HAS BEEN DESERTED FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
ABOUT 150 YEARS AGO, SOME HAKKAS WITH THE FAMILY NAME OF WONG SETTLED IN THE VILLAGE AND STARTED A KILN INDUSTRY.
YEARS LATER, WHEN THE INDUSTRY DECLINED, THE HAKKA PEOPLE LEFT THE VILLAGE.
LAST YEAR THE DESERTED VILLAGE WAS REVERTED TO THE CROWN AND IN NOVEMBER, WAS DECLARED A MONUMENT.
THE FIRST PHASE OF RESTORATION BEGAN IN JANUARY THIS YEAR AND WAS COMPLETED IN EARLY MARCH. WORK ON THE SECOND PHASE IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN SOON.
WHEN THE RESTORATION IS COMPLETED, THE VILLAGE WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AS A FOLK MUSEUM.
PROHIBITED ZONE IN CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL AREA
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THE CENTRAL CARRIAGEWAY IN A SECTION OF THE SOUTHBOUND ROAD LEADING TO THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL INTERCHANGE IN WAN CHAI NEAR ITS JUNCTION WITH THE NORTH POINT-BOUND CARRIAGEWAY WILL BE DESIGNATED A PROHIBITED ZONE FROM 10 AM ON FRIDAY (MARCH 12).
NO VEHICLES, EXCEPT FRANCHISED BUSES, WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THIS ROAD SECTION.