XN000022-1974-08-23 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1974.

FOOTPATH TO REMOTE VILLAGE ON LAMMA ISLAND

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A FOOTPATH FROM MOU TAT VILLAGE TO SOK KWU WAN ON LAMMA ISLAND WILL SHORTLY BE CONSTRUCTED FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF VILLAGERS LIVING THERE.

AT PRESENT, HOU TAT IS CUT OFF FROM THE MAIN ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES AT SOUTH LAMMA. THE FOOTPATH WILL INTEGRATE IT WITH THE PROSPEROUS SOK KWU WAN AND MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR VILLAGERS OF MOU TAT TO USE THE REGULAR FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND SOK KWU WAN.

THE WORK WILL COMPRISE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SIX-FOOT WIDE CONCRETE FOOTPATH OF 6,200 FEET LENGTH, WITH ASSOCIATED DRAINAGE WORKS AND THE EXCAVATION OF 8,000 CUBIC YARDS OF EARTH.

CONSTRUCTION WORK IS EXPECTED TO START IN OCTOBER AND WILL TAKE ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS TO COMPLETE. TENDERS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FOOTPATH ARE INVITED IN TODAY'S GAZETTE.

$151 MILLION DEFICIT RECORDED IN MAY

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THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY 1974 SHOW A DEFICIT OF $151 MILLION COMPARED WITH A SURPLUS OF $118 MILLION IN MAY LAST YEAR.

THIS HAS RESULTED IN AN ACCUMULATED DEFICIT OF $183 MILLION FOR THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THIS FINANCIAL YEAR, COMPARED WITH A SURPLUS OF $102 MILLION FOR THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

TOTAL REVENUE FOR THE MONTH AT $335 MILLION WAS $115 MILLION LESS THAN IN MAY 1973 WHEN OVER $80 MILLION WAS RECE IVED FROM THE SALE OF TAXI CONCESSIONS.

TOTAL EXPENDITURE AMOUNTED TO $486 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF $153 MILLION OVER THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR. THIS WAS MAINLY BECAUSE OF INCREASED SPENDING ON PROJECTS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.

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