XN000022-1974-10-13 — Page 2

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SUNDAY, OCTODER 13, 1974.

WORK ON 10,000-FOOT LANTAU FOOTFATH WELL UNDERUAY

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WORK IS WELL UNDERWAY ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 10,000- FOOT-LONG FOOTPATH LINKING UP SEVERAL DIVERSE AND SPARSELY POPULATED VILLAGES OF TUNG CHUNG IN THE NORTH-WESTERN PART OF LANTAU ISLAND.

PROVIDING A MUCH-NEEDED MEANS OF COMMUNICATION IN THE AREA, THE FOOTPATH IS EXPECTED TO ENSURE THAT VILLACE COMUNITIES IN THE RENOTE SECTOR OF THE ISLAND WILL NOT DE DIVORCED FROM THE ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF THE CORE PROSPEROUS AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE NEIGHBOURING VILLACES.

THE INITIAL 2,500 FEET OF THE FOOTPATH THE FIRST CF FOUR STAGES OF THE PROJECT HAS JUST BEEN COMPLETED. THE SECOND STAGE IS DUE TO START SHORTLY.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION SAID TODAY THAT THE PROJECT WAS BEING UNDERTAKEN THROUGH THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND VILLACERS.

+WHILE THE GOVERNMENT CRANTED CASH ASSISTANCE TO THE VILLAGERS FOR THE CAPITAL COST OF THE PROJECT UNDER THE RURAL PUBLIC WORK CASH ASSISTANCE SCHEME ADMINISTERED BY THE NEU TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION,+ HE POINTED CUT, IT IS THE VILLAGERS THEMSELVES WHO PROVIDED THE NECESSARY LABOUR TO CARRY OUT THE WORK.+

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UNDER THE CASH ASSISTANCE SCHENE, AID USUALLY IN THE FORM OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL IS OFFERED TO NEW TERRITORIES VILLACERS WISHING TO CARRY OUT SUCH MINOR LOCAL PUBLIC WORK PROJECTS AS RIVER TRENCHING AND CONSTRUCTION OF FOOTPATIS. THE VILLAGERS, ON THE OTHER HAND, PROVIDE THE LABOUR TO DO THE WORK.

APPLICATIONS FOR SUCH ASSISTANCE COULD BE MADE TO ALL DISTRICT OFFICES WHERE THEY WOULD BE CAREFULLY AND EXPEDITIOUSLY PROCESSED, SAID THE SPOKESMAN.

+AS THERE ARE MANY APPLICATIONS FOR CASH ASSISTANCE AND IN VIEW OF THE LIMITATION OF FUNDS AND LABOUR AVAILABLE, IT IS ONLY FEASIBLE TO ACCORD ASSISTANCE TO THOSE PROJECTS THAT WARRANT SPECIAL PRIORITY, HE EXPLAINED.

HE REVEALED THAT $7.8 MILLION HAD BEEN EARMARKED AS CASH ASSISTANCE FOR RURAL PUBLIC WORK PROJECTS THIS FINANCIAL YEAR. OF THIS, $3 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT ON SANITATION FACILITIES.

REFERRING TO THE TUNG CHUNG FOOTPATH, THE SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT A STRIKING FEATURE OF THE PROJECT WAS THAT IT WAS BEING JOINTLY UNDERTAKEN BY VILLACERS OF SAN TAU AND SHA LO WAN UHO ACPEED TO SHARE THE WORK EQUALLY BETWEEN THEMSELVES.

+THIS COMBINATION OF EFFORTS WILL CERTAINLY LEAD TO AN EARLIER COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT, HE SAID; ADDING THAT THE FOOT- PATH WAS EXPECTED TO BE READY FOR USE IN A YEAR'S TIME.

AT PRESENT,

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