XN000022-1976-11-03 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1976

MEMBERS OF PUBLIC WORKS SUB-COMMITTEE

SEE PROGRESS ON NEW TOWNS

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MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE'S PUBLIC WORKS SUB-COMMITTEE TOURED THE NEW TERRITORIES TODAY TO SEE AT FIRST HAND PROGRESS ON HONG KONG'S THREE NEW TOWNS -- SHA TIN, TUEN MUN AND TSUEN WAN.

THE STUDY TOUR, LED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR. PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, WAS ARRANGED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO ENABLE MEMBERS OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE TO STUDY WORKS NOW UNDERWAY AND THE SITES OF PROPOSED NEW PROJECTS IN PREPARATION FOR THIS YEAR'S SECOND REVIEW OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.

EACH YEAR THE SUB-COMMITTEE HOLDS TWO MEETINGS TO REVIEW PROGRESS ON PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME, AND TO CONSIDER NEW ITEMS FOR INCLUSION IN THE PROGRAMME.

THE PUBLIC WORKS SUB-COMMITTEE COMPRISES THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR. C.P. HADDON-CAVE (CHAIRMAN), MR. OSWALD CHEUNG, MR. R.H. LOBO, MR. JAMES WU MAN-HON, MR. J.H. BREMRIDGE,

MR. LI FOOK-WO, MR. FRANCIS Y, H. TIEN, MR. S.L. CHEN, DR. HENRY HU, MR. PETER C. WONG, MR. WONG LAM AND THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS MR. D.W. MCDONALD. THE SECRETARY TO THE COMMITTEE IS MRS. D.E.J. SADDLER OF THE FINANCE BRANCH.

THE COMMITTEE WAS ACCOMPANIED ON ITS TOUR BY THE P.W.D. S DIRECTOR OF NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT, MR. J.R. WHITAKER WHO

IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANNING AND DEVELOPING THE NEW TOWNS ON SCHEDULE. THE DIRECTORS OF OTHER P.W.D. CONSTITUENT DEPARTMENTS

INVOLVED IN THE BUILDING AND ENGINEERING WORKS FOR THE NEW TOWNS- AND SENIOR OFFICERS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION AND THE FINANCE BRANCH.

WORKS IN THE THREE NEW TOWNS - WHICH ARE PLANNED TO HOUSE SOME 1,8 MILLION PEOPLE BY THE MID-EIGHTIES -- ARE FORMING AN INCREASING PORTION OF EXPENDITURE IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.

THE GOVERNMENT EXPECTS TO SPEND MORE THAN $10,000 MILLION IN THE NEW TOWNS PROGRAMME -- THE BIGGEST OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD - AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN THEM IS EXPECTED TO BE OF A SIMILAR ORDER.

AT SHA TIN, THE COMMITTEE WAS BRIEFED BY THE NEW TOWN PROJECT MANAGER MR. JOHN DON OF THE P.w.D.'S NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

MR. DON TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS THAT SITE FORMATION WORK FOR THE NEW TOWN WAS PROGRESSING WELL, AND ALREADY SOME 227 HECTARES OF NEW LAND HAD BEEN FORMED, INCLUDING 147 HECTARES RECLAIMED FROM THE SEA.

/THE DEVELOPMENT