XN000022-1975-12-22 — Page 6

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1975

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT AT NEW RAILWAY TERMINUS

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STAFF OF THE KOWLOON CANTON RAILWAY WILL BE SPENDING THEIR FIRST CHRISTMAS AT THEIR NEW HUNG HOM HOME.

AN 18-FOOT CHRISTMAS TREE, GLITTERING WITH TRADITIONAL LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS, HAS BEEN PUT UP AT THE MAIN TERMINAL CONCOURSE.

+I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS POSSIBLY THE TALLEST CHRISTMAS TREE IN HONG KONG,+ MR. REG GREGORY, THE GENERAL MANAGER, SAID.

IT IS FITTING THAT THE TREE. SYMBOLIC OF COMMUNAL AMITY AND FESTIVITY SHOULD BE HOUSED IN THE NEW TERMINUS, WHICH HAS BECOME NOT ONLY AN ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS INTERCHANGE BUT A MEETING PLACE FOR RESIDENTS OF HUNG HOM AND OI MAN ESTATE.

+WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO PEOPLE FROM THE URBAN AREAS TO SEE THIS DEAUTIFUL TREE. WE ARE ALSO HOPING THAT RESIDENTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WOULD COME TO HUNG HOM TO PARTAKE OF THE WARMTH AND FRIENDSHIP.+ MR. GREGORY SAID,

HE ASSURED HOLIDAY-MAKERS THAT MORE TRAINS WOULD BE RUN DURING THE CHRISTHAS AND NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS AND THAT ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE FLEXIBLE TO COPE WITH UNEXPECTED NUMBERS OF PASSENGERS.

THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY NOW HAD POSSIBLY THE BEST RECORD OF PUNCTUALITY EVEN THOUGH SOME 20 PER CENT MORE TRAINS WERE BEING RUN, HE SAID.

THIS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED BY A NEW TIME-TABLE AND A NEW METHOD OF TRAFFIC CONTROL WHICH PROVIDE BETTER CO-ORDINATION OF TRAIN SCHEDULES.

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+THE NEW TERMINUS IS THE NICEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT THE KCR HAS HAD FOR A LONG TIME, MR. GREGORY SAID.

+WE ONLY WISH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD COME TO SHARE THIS AND THE CHRISTMAS TREE WITH US DURING THE FESTIVE SEASON,+ HE ADDED.