XN000022-1975-12-17 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1975

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EARLY START EXPECTED ON TRAINING CENTRE FOR THE BLIND

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A PROJECT TO BUILD A TRAINING CENTRE FOR MENTALLY RETARDED ELIND CHILDREN AND A VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE FOR BLIND ADULTS SHOULD SOON MATERIALISE, THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON. LI FOOK KOW, SAID TODAY.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. MISS KO SIU WAH IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

MR. LI SAID THE PROPOSAL WAS INCLUDED AS A POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT FOR NEXT YEAR IN THE 1975 REVIEW OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE FIVE-YEAR PLAN.

THE VOLUNTARY AGENCY SPONSORING THE PROJECT HOWEVER HAS RECEIVED A GENEROUS OFFER OF MORE THAN $1 MILLION FROM THE CHRISTOFFEL BLINDENMISSION OF WEST GERMANY TO MEET THE CAPITAL AND RECURRENT COSTS.

+IN VIEW OF THE DONOR'S DESIRE TO MOVE QUICKLY, THIS MATTER WAS DISCUSSED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AT THE RELEVANT SUB- COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE SUB-COMMITTEE ADVISED THAT THE PROJECT SHOULD BE SUPPORTED.

+ IF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE CONCURS I AM CONFIDENT THAT A START CAN SOON BE MADE ON THIS PROJECT,+ HE SAID.

MTR-KCR LINK UNDER STUDY

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THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING WHETHER TO BUILD AN INTERCHANGE FOR THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY AND THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY AT KOWLOON TONG, THE

SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. JAMES ROBSON, SAID TODAY.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HE SAID A STEERING GROUP HAD BEEN SET UP UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE RAILWAY TO EXAMINE THE PROPOSAL.

THERE WERE OBVIOUS ADVANTAGES, MR. ROBSON SAID, AS +THIS INTERCHANGE WOULD PROVIDE DIRECT ACCESS TO HONG KONG AND URBAN KOWLOON FOR RAILWAY PASSENGERS AND ACCESS TO THE NEW TERRITORIES FOR MASS TRANSIT PASSENGERS.+

HOWEVER, HE ADDED THAT IT IS TOO EARLY TO SAY

WHETHER IT IS FEASIBLE.+

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