XN000022-1975-04-27 — Page 1

香港政府

GIS 新聞處

DAILY INFORMATION. BULLETIN

JOINTLY-OWNED FISH POND

MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME FOR SOKO ISLANDERS

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ASK ANYONE IN THE STREET WHERE THE SOKO ISLANDS ARE AND THE ANSWERS YOU GET MAY VARY FROM +NEAR JAPAN+ TO +OFF THE TAIWAN STRAITS+, OR JUST SIMPLY +1 DON'T KNOW,-

ACTUALLY, THE SOKO ISLANDS ARE A GROUP OF SPARSELY POPULATED ISLANDS JUST OFF THE SOUTH-WESTERN TIP OF LANTAU. THE REASON WHY PEOPLE ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SOKO ISLANDS IS BECAUSE VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THERE.

HERE IN THIS PEACEFUL PART OF HONG KONG LIFE GOES ON AT ITS MOST LEISURELY PACE AMONG THE 200 ODD INHABITANTS, MOST OF WHOM LIVE ON THE LARGEST OF THE GROUP OF ISLANDS TAI AH CHAU.

NOBODY IS SURE WHEN THESE ISLANDS WERE FIRST INHABITED BUT A LARGE RITUAL BRONZE BELL THAT LIES IN A TEMPLE INDICATES THAT THE ISLANDS WERE INHABITED SOME 150 YEARS AGO.

ONE STRIKING FEATURE OF THIS ISLAND IS A LARGE MAN-MADE FISH POND.

THIS FRESH-FISH POND, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME FOR THE ISLANDERS, IS JOINTLY OWNED BY ALL THE FAMILIES IN THE VILLAGE.

ACCORDING TO A VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVES, MR. NG SHING-YAU, THE FISH POND SYMBOLISES CO-OPERATION AND UNITY AMONG THE VILLAGERS.

MR. NG VIEWS THE FISH POND WITH PRIDE AND CONTENTMENT.

HE SAID, +OUR FISH POND, OF COURSE, IS NO MATCH WITH THOSE IN YUEN LONG. THE PLACE WHERE THE PRESENT FISH POND NOW LIES WAS FORMERLY AGRICULTURAL LAND. BUT DUE TO ITS GOOD SUPPLY OF UNDERGROUND WATER, THE VILLAGERS DECIDED TO TURN THE AREA INTO ONE BIG FISH POND.+

EIGHTEEN PICULS OF FISH WERE PRODUCED FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST NOVEMBER WHICH FETCHED SOME $10,000.

+SINCE THE FISH POND IS LOCATED ON PRIVATE LAND, THE FAMILIES PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROJECT HAD TO RAISE MONEY TO BUY IT.+

+THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO GENEROUS ENOUGH TO GRANT US SOME CROWN LAND FOR EXTENDING THE AREA.+

→THE ARMY AND THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION ALSO GAVE MANUAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN EXCAVATING THE LAND, SETTING UP THE WIRE NETTING AND CONSTRUCTING A NEW FOOT-PATH,+ SAID MR. NG.

Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong. Tel: 5-233191

THE FISH..

PAH 7