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TUESDAY, MAY 6, 1986
THIRD READING FOR APPROPRIATION BILL
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THE APPROPRIATION BILL 1986 WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR THE COMMITTEE STAGE AND THIRD READING TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY).
TWO OTHER BILLS AND NINE QUESTIONS ARE AMONG THE OTHER NATTERS TO BE DEALT WITH.
DEBATE WILL RESUME ON THESE TWO BILLS, DEFAMATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986 AND DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTRES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986, PRIOR TO COMMITTEE STAGE AND THIRD READINGS.
THERE WILL ALSO BE A STATEMENT BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE, ON THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY CORPORATION'S ANNUAL REPORT 1985, WHICH WILL BE TABLED.
RURAL COMMITTEES 'PLAY VITAL ROLE'
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RURAL COMMITTEES AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN PROMOTING BOTH A SENSE OF DISTRICT IDENTITY AND CIVIC AWARENESS AMONG RESIDENTS AND IN ENHANCING COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP, NORTH DISTRICT OFFICER, MR MATTHEW CHEUNG, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).
THIS WAS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT AS ON AVERAGE 1 000 PEOPLE WERE MOVING INTO PUBLIC HOUSING AND HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME ESTATES IN THE DISTRICT EACH MONTH, HE SAID,
MR CHEUNG, WHO HAS JUST TAKEN UP HIS POST. WAS MAK ENG A COURTESY CALL ON THE TA KWU LING AND THE SHEUNG SHUI RURAL COMMITTEES.
WITH RAPID DEVELOPMENT, THE POPULATION IN NORTH DISTRICT WOULD INCREASE FROM THE PRESENT 175 000 TO 250 000 IN 1995. IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT THE ARRIVAL OF NEW RESIDENTS MIGHT POSE CERTAIN PROBLEMS TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, HE SAID.
THUS IT WAS THE TASK OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE TO MAINTAIN A BALANCED ENVIRONMENT BY FUSING OLD TRADITIONS WITH NEW DEVELOPMENTS. HOWEVER, MUCH ALSO DEPENDED ON THE SUPPORT OF RURAL COMMITTEES AND LOCAL ORGANISATIONS IN ENHANCING A COHESIVE AND HARMONIOUS COMMUNITY IN THE DISTRICT.
/MR CHEUNG