XN000022-1974-12-09 — Page 5

MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1974

GOVERNOR TOURS SHEUNG WAN DISTRICT

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TODAY DESCRIBED OWNERS' INCORPORATIONS IN MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS AS A MEANS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE,

HE VISITED THE OWNERS' INCORPORATION OF THE NAM PAK HONG BUILDING WHILE HE WAS ON A MORNING TOUR OF THE SHEUNG WAN DISTRICT, AND MET WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE INCORPORATION, MR. CHAN FOOK-LAT,

FORMED IN 1972, THE OWNERS' INCORPORATION OF THIS BUILDING IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF THE BUILDING, INCLUDING WATCHMEN SERVICE, CLEANSING SERVICE IN COMMON AREAS, REFUSE COLLECTION, LIFT SERVICE, AND REPAIR WORKS. WATCHMEN SERVICE IS PROVIDED ON A 24-HOUR BASIS, AND MR. CHAN SAID NO ROBBERIES HAD EVER OCCURRED IN THE BUILDING.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICER (WESTERN), MR. NICHOLAS NG, SIR MURRAY BEGAN HIS TOUR WITH A STROLL DOWN THE SLOPE OF SAÏ STREET, ALONG WHICH MORE THAN 30 HAWKER STALLS WERE DOING BRISK BUSINESS SELLING FRESH VEGETABLES TO HOUSE- WIVES LIVING IN THE AREA.

SOME OF THE STALLS ARE TEMPORARILY RESITED THERE TO HELP FACILITATE THE WORK OF THE URBAN RENEWAL PILOT SCHEME.

THE GOVERNOR TALKED WITH SOME OF THE HAWKERS, MANY OF WHOM HAD BEEN PLYING THEIR TRADE IN THE AREA FOR OVER 20 YEARS, AND ASKED THEM HOW THEIR BUSINESS WAS AFFECTED BY THE PILOT SCHEME.

SIR MURRAY NEXT VISITED A TEMPORARY SITTING-OUT AREA AT 362-366 QUEEN'S ROAD CENTRAL WHICH IS PROVIDED UNDER THE RENEWAL SCHEME. HE ALSO INSPECTED SEVEN LOTS OF DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS IN LOWER LASCAR ROW ABOUT TO BE RESUMED FOR THE URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT BEFORE HE WALKED DOWN TO BOMHAM STRAND WEST TO SEE THE TRADING ACTIVITIES,

THIS AREA, GENERALLY KNOWN AS THE NAM PAK HONG (SOUTH-AND- NORTH TRADING COMPANIES), HAS SEEN SOME OF THE EARLIEST BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS IN HONG KONG.

THE TRADERS SPECIALIZE MOSTLY IN THE IMPORT AND EXPORT OF CHINESE HERBS AND OTHER PRECIOUS ORGANIC MEDICINE BETWEEN CHINA AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA,

FOR THE LAST PART OF HIS VISIT, SIR MURRAY PROCEEDED ON FOOT TO THE WATERFRONT ALONG CONNAUGHT ROAD WEST WHERE RECLAMATION WORK IS NOW ALREADY IN ITS FIFTH STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT.

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