XN000022-1974-11-28 — Page 17

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1974

MR. CLAUDE BURGESS HERE ON STUDY VISIT

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MR. CLAUDE BURGESS, WHO WAS RECENTLY APPOINTED MINISTER FOR HONG KONG COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS IN BRUSSELS, IS CURRENTLY IN HONG KONG ON A TWO-WEEK STUDY VISIT.

HE WILL MEET REPRESENTATIVES OF THE VARIOUS COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS, CONSULS-GENERAL OF THE EEC MEMBER STATES IN HONG KONG, GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS IN PARTICULAR THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT AND LOCAL BUSINESSMEN,

AS PART OF HIS FAMILIARISATION TOUR, HE WILL ALSO VISIT A NUMBER OF FACTORIES.

MR. BURGESS HAD SERVED IN HONG KONG FOR 30 YEARS, AND WAS COLONIAL SECRETARY BEFORE HE RETIRED IN 1963.

HIS PRESENT POST WAS CREATED BECAUSE OF THE INCREASING IMPORTANCE OF THE COMMON MARKET FOR HONG KONG, THE EEC BEING NOW HONG KONG'S SECOND LARGEST BUYER TAKING MORE THAN 30 PER CENT OF OUR DOMESTIC EXPORTS.

THE NEW POST IS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONDUCT OF HONG KONG'S OVERSEAS COMMERCIAL RELATIONS,

SINCE 1968 HONG KONG HAS BEEN REPRESENTED IN BRUSSELS AT COUNSELLOR LEVEL BY MR. PAT DODGE.

BUT DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, ESPECIALLY THE INCREASED COMPLEXITY AND VOLUME OF WORK WHICH HAVE ARISEN AS A RESULT OF ITS ENLARGEMENT, HAVE LED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO RE-EXAMINE THE QUESTION OF OUR REPRESENTATION.

THE CONCLUSION IS THAT IT IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE FOR MR. DODGE ALONE TO COVER THE MANY ASPECTS THAT REQUIRE ATTENTION.

WATER CUT *****

WATER SUPPLY TO A NUMBER OF PREMISES IN HUNG HOM WILL BE TURNED OFF FOR FIVE HOURS STARTING AT 1 A.M. ON SATURDAY (NOVEMBER 30).

THE TEMPORARY STOPPAGE IS TO ENABLE A LEAKAGE TEST TO BE CARRIED OUT IN THE AREA.

THE AFFECTED AREA IS BOUNDED BY CHATHAM ROAD, WINSLOW STREET, WHAMPOA STREET AND BULKELEY STREET.