XN000022-1976-05-12 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1976

TOWN CENTRE FOR EACH NEW TOWN

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A TOWN CENTRE HAS BEEN PLANNED FOR EACH OF THE THREE NEW TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HON. DAVID AKERS-JONES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

THESE PLANS, HE ADDED, WOULD INCORPORATE SUCH FEATURES AS SEPARATION OF VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS, SHOPS, OFFICE ACCOMMODATION AND THE NORMAL THINGS ONE WOULD EXPECT TO FIND IN THE CENTRE OF A TOWN.

IN REPLY TO THE HON. ALEX WU ON PLANS AND FACILITIES IN THESE TOWN CENTRES, HE SAID SPACE WOULD, OF COURSE, BE SET ASIDE FOR CULTURAL AND CIVIC BUILDINGS.

HE RECALLED THAT IN 1973, THE PUBLIC WORKS SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS INFORMED THAT NO BUILDINGS IN THIS RANGE WOULD BE PUT FORWARD IN THE ABSENCE OF APPROVED POLICY.

+A MEMORANDUM IS THEREFORE IN PROCESS OF PREPARATION FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON GENERAL POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS WITH REGARD TO THE PROVISION OF CULTURAL FACILITIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES GENERALLY, WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON THE NEW TOWNS.+

MR. AKERS-JONES POINTED OUT THAT IT WOULD BE AGAINST THIS OVERALL POLICY ENDORSEMENT THAT INDIVIDUAL BUILDINGS WOULD ENTER THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME. +BUT CONSTRUCTION OF INDIVIDUAL BUILDINGS WILL OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO FOLLOW AN APPROVED POLICY AND KEEP IN STEP WITH THE NEEDS OF EACH TOWN COMMUNITY INSOFAR AS OUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES WILL PERMIT, HE SAID.

FIRST LADY CLERK TO LEGCO *****

BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING WAS ADJOURNED THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON, THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG ON BEHALF OF ALL THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, THANKED THE CLERK TO THE COUNCIL, MR. KENNETH WHEELER, FOR HIS HELP AND .COURTESY DURING THE PAST THREE YEARS.

MR. WHEELER WILL SHORTLY PROCEED ON OVERSEAS LEAVE AND WILL TAKE UP A NEW APPOINTMENT ON RETURN.

DR. CHUNG ALSO TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME MRS. LOLLY TSE, THE FIRST LADY CLERK TO THE COUNCIL.

HE SAID HE WAS SURE MRS. TSE WOULD BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THE EQUALITY OF THE SEXES, AT LEAST IN HER PERFORMANCE OF THE DUTIES OF THAT OFFICE.+

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