XN000022-1977-02-07 — Page 2

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1977

PRINCESS ALEXANDRA OPENS HK POLYTECHNIC LIBRARY

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HRH PRINCESS ALEXANDRA THIS (MONDAY) MORNING VISITED THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC IN HUNG HOM AND OFFICIALLY OPENED ITS LIBRARY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST SCIENTIFIC, TECHNOLOGICAL AND BUSINESS LIBRARIES IN THE COMMONWEALTH,

ADDRESSING THE GATHERING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, THE PRINCESS SAID THAT HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY DEPENDED UPON ITS ABILITY TO SELL ITS MANUFACTURED GOODS IN COUNTRIES OVERSEAS.

+TO SUCCEED IN THIS, IN TODAY'S HIGHLY COMPETITIVE WORLD, HONG KONG NEEDS THE SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE OF THOSE WHO WORK IN ITS INDUSTRIES, THE PRINCESS SAID.

+THIS POLYTECHNIC, THEREFORE, IS PLAYING A VITAL ROLE IN HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BY TRAINING STUDENTS IN A WIDE RANGE OF PROFESSIONAL, TECHNICAL AND MANAGERIAL SUBJECTS.+

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS WAS GLAD TO KNOW THAT MOST OF THE GRANT MADE BY BRITAIN TO THE POLYTECHNIC HAD BEEN SPENT ON BOOKS FOR THE LIBRARY.

THIS GRANT, THE PRINCESS SAID, SHOULD BE SEEN AS A PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION OF BRITISH SUPPORT FOR THE ROLE OF THE POLYTECHNIC, AND ALSO AS A GESTURE OF FRIENDSHIP FROM GREAT BRITAIN TO HONG KONG.

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS SAID: NO PLACE OF LEARNING IS COMPLETE OR EFFECTIVE WITHOUT AN ADEQUATE LIBRARY, PROVIDING THE RAW MATERIALS ON WHICH STUDENTS AND RESEARCH WORKERS MAY BUILD THEIR KNOWLEDGE, AND SO I AM DELIGHTED THAT YOU HAVE ASKED ME TO OPEN SUCH AN ESSENTIAL ADDITION TO YOUR POLYTECHNIC.

EARLIER, DR. S.Y. CHUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE POLYTECHNIC, IN HIS SPEECH EXPRESSED SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THE DONATION BY HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT.

+THE VISIT OF HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, HE ADDED, +IS YET ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION THAT, DESPITE THE ENORMOUS DISTANCE WHICH SEPARATES US GEOGRAPHICALLY, BRITAIN AND HONG KONG HAVE MUCH IN COMMON, MUCH TO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER AND MUCH TO GAIN FROM CONTINUED CO-OPERATION AND THE MUTUAL ENRICHMENT OF OUR TWO CULTURES.+

AFTER HAVING DECLARED THE LIBRARY OPEN BY UNVEILING

A PLAQUE, THE PRINCESS WAS INTRIGUED BY THE INSCRIPTIONS IN CHINESE ON IT. DR. CHUNG READILY PROVIDED A TRANSLATION AND EXPLAINED THE LITERAL MEANING OF HER NAME IN CHINESE - PRINCESS EXQUISITELY-BEAUTIFUL CORAL.

RES ROYAL