XN000022-1975-03-03 — Page 6

MONDAY, MARCH 3, 1975

ELECTRICITY RETURNS TO TAP HUN

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THE 2,000 VILLAGERS OF TAP MUN IN TAI PO NO LONGER HAVE TO LIVE BY CANDLE LIGHT AND KEROSENE LAMPS.

ELECTRICITY SUPPLY HAS RETURNED TO THE TINY ISLAND THANKS TO TAIPO DISTRICT OFFICE WHICH DONATED A GENERATOR TO MAKE POWER SUPPLY POSSIBLES

THIS IS AT THE FIRST TIME TAP MUN HAS HAD THE LUXURY OF A POWER SUPP

ELECTRICITY FIRST CAME TO THE ISLAND IN 1964 WHEN A PRIVATE COMPANY SET UP A GENERATOR. HOWEVER, BUSINESS WAS NOT BRISK AND THE OWNER, DESPITE HIS EFFORTS TO KEEP HIS ENTERPRISE SOLVENT, HAD TO CLOSE SHOP IN 1970.

DURING THESE FEW YEARS LIFE AT TAP MUN WAS MISERABLE, ACCORDING TO VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVE, HR. LAM PAU-PING.

<WHAT WE REALLY MISSED WAS TELEVISION, HE SAID.

OF COURSE, LIFE WAS ALSO INCONVENIENT IN OTHER WAYS. FOR EXAMPLE, MR. LÁM SAID, SHOPS AND OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES WERE AFFECTED WHEN THERE WAS NO ELECTRICITY TO POWER MACHINES AND APPLIANCES, ESPECIALLY BEVERAGE COOLERS.

ADDED TO THIS, PEOPLE REMAINED INDOORS BECAUSE THE STREETS WERE UNLIT AT NIGHT. DURING THESE ÷DARK❖ YEARS THE VILLAGERS APPROACHED THE TAI PO DISTRICT OFFICE SEEKING ITS HELP TO RESTORE POWER SUPPLY.

BUT THIS IS NOT AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS, SAID A DISTRICT OFFICE SPOKESMAN.

*FIRST, YOU HAVE TO GET THE RIGHT GENERATOR, THEN A PLACE TO HOUSE IT, THEN PUT UP THE WIRING AND FINALLY TO ESTABLISH A WAY TO MAINTAIN IT. AND OF COURSE, IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY, + HE SAID.

NEVERTHELESS, THE DISTRICT OFFICE STARTED A +TAP MUN ELECTRIFICATION CAMPAIGN IN 1973. SOON AFTER, CARE SAID IT WOULD HELP, SO DID THE ARMY AND THE NAVY,

THE NAVY FIRST MADE A FEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE AREA AND THEN TRANSPORTED THE GENERATOR WHICH WAS DONATED BY THE DISTRICT OFFICE TO THE ISLAND. WITH THE ARMY'S HELP. TAP MUN'S HOUSES AND STREETS WERE WIRED UP. CARE PAID 75 PER CENT OF THE COSTS FOR BUILDING THE GENERATOR HOUSE, INSTALLING THE MACHINERY, AND WIRING.

THE WHOLE PROJECT