XN000022-1977-02-17 — Page 2

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1977.

YEAR OF EXCITEMENT AND CHALLENGE

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THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, IN HIS LUNAR NEW YEAR MESSAGE TODAY SPOKE OF THE EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE CHALLENGE IN THE NEW YEAR.

+I HOPE EVERYONE SENSES THE EXCITEMENT, WILL MEET THE CHALLENGE AND SHARE THE PROSPERITY,+ HE SAID.

MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THE MOMENTUM GENERATED BY HONG KONG'S DRAMATIC RECOVERY FROM RECESSION WOULD BE NOWHERE MORE EVIDENT THAN THE NEW TERRITORIES +AS THE TASK OF BUILDING NEW TOWNS, OF MODERNISING AND EXPANDING THE MARKET TOWNS AND PROVIDING BETTER FACILITIES CONTINUES+.

HE SAID THE GREAT BUILDING PROGRAMME WOULD BRING WITH IT DEMOLITION AND DISTURBANCE BUT WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THIS EFFORT IS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE HOMES FOR THE BADLY HOUSED AND PLACES TO WORK AND PLAY.+

JUST AS IMPORTANT, HE ADDED, WAS THE TASK OF BUILDING SOCIAL AWARENESS AND A SENSE OF BELONGING IN THESE NEW COMMUNITIES TO TRY RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING TO NURTURE A SENSE OF NEIGHBOURLINESS, MUTUAL RESPECT AND HELP TRADITIONS THAT WERE CENTURIES OLD IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+SO ALONG WITH ALL THE NEW HOMES, AND SCHOOLS, AND FACTORIES AND ROADS, THE NEW YEAR WILL BRING MORE FACILITIES FOR RECREATION AND SPORT, NEW INITIATIVES TO FOSTER THE ARTS AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF CULTURAL PURSUITS, HE SAID.

HE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO WISH EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY NEW

YEAR.

NOMINATIONS FOR U.C. ELECTION ****

TEN NOMINATIONS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED FOR THE FORTHCOMING URBAN COUNCIL ELECTION NEXT MONTH, IT WAS ANNOUNCED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY.

THE CANDIDATES ARE MR. BROOK BERNACCHI, MR. PETER CHAN CHI- KWAN, MR. AMBROSE CHOI KWOK-CHING, MR. CHOW WAI-HUNG, DR. HENRY MU HÙNG LICK, MR. TSIN SAI-NIN, MỸ, FRANCIS CHAINE, MR. TẠNG MAN-SIT, MR. WILSON TUET WAI-SIN AND MR. YU SAK-KWONG.

THE ELECTION, FOR SIX VACANCIES ON THE COUNCIL, WILL BE HELD ON MARCH 3.

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