XN000022-1976-09-08 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1976

GOVERNOR INSPECTS BRIDGE WORK ******

THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, THIS (WEDNESDAY) EVENING VISITED SHA TIN TO SEE PROGRESS ON THE NEW RAILWAY BRIDGE OVER THE SHING MUN RIVER, BEING BUILT BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO REPLACE THE ONE DAMAGED DURING THE RECENT RAINSTORMS.

SIR MURRAY WAS ACCOMPANIED ON THE VISIT BY THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO PEKING, MR. EDWARD YOUDE, WHO ARRIVED IN HONG KONG LATE THIS AFTERNOON ON HIS WAY BACK TO PEKING FROM LEAVE IN LONDON.

THE GOVERNOR WAS BRIEFED ON WORK PROGRESS BY THE P.W.D.'S CHIEF RAILWAY ENGINEER, MR. VAL MANSFIELD, AND THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT CIVIL ENGINEER, MR. BRYAN O'RORKE, ALSO PRESENT WAS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY, MR. REG GREGORY.

THE GOVERNOR WAS TOLD THAT DEMOLITION OF THE OLD BRIDGE HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND WORK WAS WELL UNDERWAY ON DRIVING PILES TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED BRIDGE. PILING WOULD CONTINUE AT NIGHT UNTIL THE JOB WAS COMPLETED.

LATER, SIR MURRAY CALLED AT THE K.C.R. RAILWAY WORKSHOPS AT HỌ TUNG LAŬ WHERE HE WAS BRIEFED BY MR. GREGORY ON THE EMERGENCY FREIGHT SERVICE INTRODUCED THERE TO HELP OFF-LOAD CHINESE GOODS FROM TRAINS ON TO TRUCKS THUS BY-PASSING THE DAMAGED LINE.

$137,500 EX-GRATIA GRANTS FROM

EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND *******

THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND COMMITTEE THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON APPROVED A SUM OF $137,500 AS EX-GRATIA GRANTS TO SHOP OWNERS AND MARKET STALL HOLDERS WHO LOST THEIR STOCKS DURING THE MUDSLIDE AT SAU MAU PING ON AUGUST 25.

SHOP OWNERS OF THE EIGHT BAYS IN BLOCK 9 OF THE ESTATE WHICH HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY OR SEVERELY DAMAGED WILL BE GIVEN $15,000 EACH WHILE $500 WILL BE GIVEN TO EACH OF THE 35 MARKET STALLS ONWERS.

THE MONEY WILL BE PAID OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL HOLIDAY BY HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF.

THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND, WHICH WAS SET UP IN 1962, WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE HELP FOR VICTIMS OF FIRES AND OTHER DISASTERS.

THE FUND IS ADMINISTERED BY A COMMITTEE OF WHICH THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE IS THE CHAIRMAN. OTHER MEMBERS INCLUDE THE DIRECTOR OF HOME AFFAIRS, SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THREE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS - MR. CHEUNG WING-YIN, MR. NG CHAN-LAM AND MR. WONG PING-HON.

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