XN000022-1977-04-17 — Page 2

SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 1977

'VERY, VERY GOOD SAYS MRS. THATCHER

ON HOUSEWIFELY VISIT TO 01 MAN FLAT

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MRS MARGARET THATCHER TODAY SAW FOR HERSELF HOW HIGH-DENSITY LIVING WORKS IN HONG KONG'S HOUSING ESTATES -- AND CONTINUALLY REMARKED ON THE +HAPPINESS, CLEANLINESS AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT SHE FOUND ON A MORNING VISIT TO ESTATES IN KOWLOON.

IN OI MAN ESTATE SHE CAST A HOUSEWIFELY EYE AROUND THE CHENG FAMILY'S FLAT ON THE 18TH FLOOR OF TAK MAN HOUSE, INSPECTED THE KITCHEN, THE TOILET, SAW THE FAMILY'S MOD CONS INCLUDING A WASHING MACHINE, COLOUR TELEVISION SET, TWC RICE COOKERS (WHICH AT FIRST SHE MISTOOK FOR PRESSURE COOKERS), HI-FI TAPEDECK, AND TOLD THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR. DONALD LIAQ, +THIS IS VERY, VERY GOOD.+

MRS. THATCHER, LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN BRITAIN, BEGAN HER VISIT AT WHAT MR. LIAO DESCRIBED TO HER AS +THE VERY BOTTOM+ A SQUATTER AREA AT YAN OI BENEATH LION ROCK,

THE PARTY INCLUDED CONSERVATIVE MPS MR DOUGLAS HURD, A SPOKESMAN ON FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, AND MR. JOHN STANLEY, MRS. THATCHER'S PARLIAMENTARY PRIVATE SECRETARY, AND HER SOLICITOR DAUGHTER, MISS CAROL THATCHER. AS THEY LEFT THEIR CAR AT YAN CI,

THIS IS MR. LIAO TOLD MRS. THATCHER: +WE ARE NOT HIDING ANYTHING. A SQUATTER AREA WHERE YOU WILL SEE THE WORST ASPECTS OF THE HOUSING PROBLEM.+

LOOKING COOL DESPITE THE MUGGY WEATHER, MRS. THATCHER QUICKLY GOT INTO A CONVERSATION WITH A FAMILY OF TAILORS MAKING SKI-JACKETS, LATER TALKED WITH ONE OF THE LOCAL SHOPKEEPERS, WALKED DOWN A NARROL ALLEYWAY TO SEE THE LIVING QUARTERS OF ANOTHER FAMILY, AND THEN HELD A CONVERSATION ON THE ROADWAY WITH A YOUNG MOTHER CARRYING A BABY.

THE WOMAN SURPRISED EVERYBODY, INCLUDING MR. LIAO, BY REVEALING THAT SHE AND HER FAMILY WERE FROM THAILAND AND HAD LIVED IN THE SQUATTER AREA FOR TWO YEARS.

AT THE WONG TIN CHEUNG MARTIAL ARTS HALL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SQUATTER VILLAGE ROAD, MRS. THATCHER WAS ATTRACTED BY THE RHYTHMIC BEAT OF DRUMS AND GONGS AND PAID ANOTHER IMPROMPTU VISIT, THIS TIME PAUSING FOR A GLASS OF CHINESE TEA AND A RUN-DOWN ON CHINESE BOXING AND BONE-SETTING BY AN INSTRUCTOR.

THE VISIT RAN 10 MINUTES OVER SCHEDULE AND AS SHE MOVED THROUGH A GROUP CF ADMIRING CHILDREN TO ENTER HER CAR MRS. THATCHER TOLD OFFICIALS: +THEY'RE SO HAPPY, SPECIALLY THE CHILDREN.+

BEFORE BEING DRIVEN OFF SHE PERSONALLY CONFIRMED FROM THE CHILDREN THAT THEY GO TO SCHOOL AND SHOOK HANDS WITH SEVERAL.

AT HER NEXT STOP-OVER, AT TUNG TAU ESTATE, MRS. THATCHER CHATTED TO SEVERAL SHOPKEEPERS, GLANCED AT THE ROOFTOPS OF THE ESTATE ELOCKS TO NOTE THE FORESTS+ OF TV AERIALS, WALKED AMONG RESIDENTS, AND SAW TWO GARDEN AREAS MICH FR. LIAO EXPLAINED HAD BEEN RECLAIMED+ FOR THE PEOPLE FROM THE ILLEGAL STALL-HOLDERS WHO FORMERLY OCCUPIED THEM.

/SCORES