XN000022-1976-06-01 — Page 7

TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 1976

PWD TEAM COMPETING IN DRAGON BOAT RACES

*****

A GROUP OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT STAFF WILL BE SWAPPING THEIR SLIDE RULES FOR PADDLES TOMORROW (JUNE 2) TO TEST THEIR ROWING SKILLS IN THE ANNUAL DRAGON BOAT RACES AT TUEN MUN.

THE P.W.D. CONTINGENT, COMPRISING 26 MEMBERS FROM VARIOUS OFFICES OF THE DEPARTMENT. WILL BE AMONG 18 TEAMS VYING FOR THE COVETED TUEN MUN CUP TO BE PRESENTED TO THE WINNERS BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE.

THIS WILL BE THE SECOND YEAR THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN PART IN THE SPECTACULAR RACES.

TEAM CAPTAIN YIP SEE-HE SAYS THAT IN LAST YEAR'S EVENT THE P.W.D. TEAM'S SCIENTIFIC CALCULATIONS WENT A LITTLE AWRY AND THE RESULTING +SLIGHT TECHNICAL MALFUNCTION+ MEANT THE ENTIRE CREW ENDED UP IN THE WATER SEARCHING FOR THEIR SUNKEN BOAT.

+BUT THIS IS UNLIKELY TO HAPPEN AGAIN,+ HE SAYS. +WE'VE SORTED OUT THE PROBLEM - OVERWEIGHT

OVERWEIGHT AND WE'RE GOING IN THIS YEAR WITH MORE THAN AN EVEN CHANCE.+

-

MR. YIP SAID THE TEAM HAD BEEN PRACTISING HARD IN A BORROWED BOAT, AND SHOWED EXTREMELY GOOD PROMISE. WE HOPE THE OTHER TEAMS ARE IN FOR A SURPRISE, HE SAID.

THIS YEAR'S TEAM INCLUDES ENGINEERS ARCHITECTS, CLERKS AND MESSENGERS FROM THE P.W.D.'S NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE, CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, AND THE P.W.D. HEADQUARTERS.

AFTER A FINAL BRIEFING TODAY, THE TEAM MEMBERS HAD AN INFORMAL MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. DAVID MCDONALD, WHO WISHED THEM LUCK IN THE RACES.

17