XN000022-1974-10-16 — Page 35

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WEDNESDAY,\OCTOBER 16, 1974

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M.T.R. PROJECT SHOULD CONTINUE IF PRICE IS RIGHT, GOVERNOR SAYS

TRANSPORT WHITE PAPER TO BE DRAFTED EARLY NEXT YEAR

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THE GOVERNMENT STILL BELIEVES THAT THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY SYSTEM SHOULD GO AHEAD +PROVIDED AGREEMENT CAN BE REACHED ON THE BASIS OF THE SPECIFIED PRICE AT WHICH THE RAILWAY IS CALCULATED TO BE COMMERCIALLY VIABLE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID TODAY.

NOTING THE RECENT EXPRESSIONS OF DOUBT REGARDING THE WISDOM OF CONTINUING THE PROJECT IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, SIR MURRAY SAID: + COULD HAVE THOUGHT IT APPARENT THAT WHAT WAS JUDGED AN ACCEPTABLE PROPOSITION A YEAR AGO, AT THE SAME PRICE IS AN ACCEPTABLE PROPOSITION NOW.

+THERE IS A TIDE OF SUCH AFFAIRS, AND IF WE MISS THIS ONE IT WILL BE SOME YEARS BEFORE WE COULD FLOAT THE PROJECT AGAIN. MOREOVER, WE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OUR FUTURE.

+THE PROJECT IS STILL JUDGED TO BE WITHIN OUR RESOURCES. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY AND HIS TEAM HAVE PUT AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF WORK INTO THE INTRICATE AND TECHNICAL WORK OF NEGOTIATING THE CONTRACT, AND PROVIDED THEY CAN DO SO AT THE SPECIFIED PRICE, I AM SURE WE SHOULD ALL HEARTILY WISH THEM SUCCESS.+

SIR MURRAY ANNOUNCED THAT A TRANSPORT WHITE PAPER WHICH WILL GIVE FIRM INDICATIONS AS TO HOW THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO COPE WITH HONG KONG'S TRANSPORT NEEDS OVER THE YEARS AHEAD WILL BE PREPARED NEXT YEAR.

A COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORT STUDY, IN WHICH THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM WILL BE QUANTIFIED ON THE BASIS OF DATA FROM WIDE RANGING SURVEYS IS NOW IN ITS FINAL STAGES AND IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RESULTS FOR POLICY GUIDANCE EARLY NEXT YEAR.

THESE RESULTS, TOGETHER WITH THE PUBLIC'S REACTIONS TO THE GREEN PAPER ON TRANSPORT, PUBLISHED LAST JUNE, WILL PROVIDE MATERIAL FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE WHITE PAPER, SIR MURRAY SAID.

REFERRING TO THE BUS COMPANIES, THE GOVERNOR HOPED THAT FINAL AGREEMENT COULD BE REACHED BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE TWO BUS COMPANIES UNDER WHICH NEW FRANCHISES COULD BE GRANTED FOR COMMENCEMENT NEXT FEBRUARY

+AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN THESE WOULD HAVE TO BE DIRECT GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION IN THE DIRECTION OF THE COMPANIES' AFFAIRS THROUGH REPRESENTATION ON THEIR BOARDS OF DIRECTORS,+ HE SAID.

/DETAILED DISCUSSIONS