XN000022-1974-06-04 — Page 4

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TUESDAY, JUNE 4, 1974.

POLLING BOOTHS FOR N.T. VOTERS

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POLLING STATIONS ARE TO BE SET UP IN THE THREE MAIN CENTRES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES TSUEN WAN, YUEN LONG AND TAI PO - FOR NEXT YEAR'S URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

IT WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT REGISTERED ELECTORS IN THE

NEW TERRITORIES WILL HAVE THESE FACILITIES.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT THE DECISION WAS TAKEN SIMPLY TO ALLOW ELECTORS LIVING AWAY FROM THE URBAN AREAS TO CAST THEIR VOTES AT CONVENIENT LOCATIONS.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS LIVING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES HAS INCREASED STEADILY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS AND THIS TREND IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE.

THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED, HOWEVER, THAT THE PROVISION OF POLLING STATIONS IN TSUEN WAN, YUEN LONG AND TAI PO DID NOT OF COURSE IMPLY ANY EXTENSION OF THE URBAN COUNCIL'S JURISDICTION INTO THE NEW TERRITORIES.

SO FAR MORE THAN 2,500 PEOPLE LIVING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES HAVE REGISTERED AS VOTERS FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS TO BE HELD IN MARCH 1975. AS VIRTUALLY ALL OF THEM ARE IN THE THREE MAIN TOWNS IT IS NOT WORTHWHILE SETTING UP STATIONS IN OTHER LOCALITIES.

WATER TAXIS TO SAI KUNG

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THE HONG KONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY HAS STARTED ITS WATER TAXI SERVICE TO THE SAI KUNG-PAK SHA WAN AREAS DURING SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.

IN WELCOMING THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS SERVICE, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DISTRICT OFFICE, SAI KUNG, SAID HE HOPED HOLIDAY-MAKERS GOING OUT TO SAI KUNG WOULD MAKE USE OF THE WATER TAXIS INSTEAD OF PATRONIZING ILLEGAL AND DANGEROUS SAMPAN SERVICES.

THE NEW SERVICE CAME INTO OPERATION LAST SUNDAY. THE WATER TAXIS RUN ONLY ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.

TRIPS ORIGINATING FROM HONG KONG ISLAND COST $5 SINGLE OR $10 RETURN. FARES FOR +INTERNAL TRIPS+, THAT IS, TRIPS OPERATING BETWEEN THE ISLANDS IN THE SAI KUNG AREA, RANGE FROM $1 TO $4.

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