XN000022-1974-10-16 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1974

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ON TRANSPORT, SIR MURRAY SAID A TRANSPORT WHITE PAPER

WOULD BE PREPARED NEXT YEAR GIVING FIRM INDICATIONS AS TO HOW THE GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO COPE WITH HONG KONG'S TRANSPORT NEEDS OVER THE YEARS AHEAD.

THE GOVERNOR SUPPORTED THE CONTINUATION OF THE MASS

TRANSIT RAILWAY PROJECT WHICH, HE SAID, WAS STILL JUDGED TO BE WITHIN OUR RESOURCES. THE PROJECT SHOULD GO AHEAD, HE FELT, +PROVIDED AGREEMENT CAN BE REACHED ON THE BASIS OF THE SPECIFIED PRICE AT WHICH THE RAILWAY 1S CALCULATED TO BE COMMERCIALLY VIABLE.+

SIR MURRAY ALSO REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE WORLD'S FOREMOST EXPERTS IN METHADONE THERAPY WOULD BE COMING TO HONG KONG TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR TO HELP EVALUATE THE TUO PILOT METHADONE SUBSTITUTION PROJECTS NOW UNDERWAY, AND TO HELP PLOT THE WAY. AHEAD FOR METHADONE THERAPY AND ITS PROPER RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER FORMS OF DRUG TREATIENT IN HONG KONG.

TO HELP INDUSTRY, INDUSTRIAL ESTATES ARE TO BE SET UP AND A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR SUCH A VENITURE IN JUNK BAY HAS BEEN COMMISSIONED. SIMILAR STUDIES INVOLVING SITES AT TAIPO AND YUEN LONG ARE ALREADY FAR ADVANCED.

THE GOVERNOR WAS CONFIDENT THAT HONG KONG'S ECONOHY WOULD CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND HE PREDICTED A FOUR PER CENT CROWTH IN REAL TERMS THIS YEAR.

WHILE HONG KONG EXPORTERS WOULD FACE STRONGER COMPETITION,» +THERE IS A FAIR HOPE THAT IN OUR HARKETS AS A WHOLE A SUFFICIENTLY HEALTHY DEMAND WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP HONG KONG BUSY.+

THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. HE ADDED, WOULD ALSO BE DOING EVERYTHING IN ITS POWER TO HELP FIND NEW MARKETS AND EXPAND OLD ONES, WHILE FOR ITS PART THE GOVERNMENT WITH THE SUPPORT THE UK GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE ITS EFFORTS FOR A FAIR DEAL FOR HONG KONG'S PRODUCTS.

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+THE PROSPECTS OF MAINTAINING OUR EXPORTS ARE FAVOURABLE BECAUSE HONG KONG'S PRODUCTIVITY IS NOW HIGH AND OUR COMPETITIVE POSITION ABROAD IS VERY STRONG,+ HE SAID.

TOUCHING ON ANGLO-CHINESE RELATIONS, THE GOVERNOR NOTED THE STEADY IMPROVEMENT IN RECENT YEARS IN SINO-CRITISH RELATIONS. +THIS HAS HADE POSSIBLE THE FRIENDLY CO-OPERATION ABOUT MATTERS OF MUTUAL INTEREST WHICH IS SO GREATLY TO THE BENEFIT OF HONG KONG.+

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