XN000022-1977-06-30 — Page 2

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1977

GOVERNOR OPENS TELEPHONE EXCHANGE IN REMOTE VILLAGE

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PEOPLE IN REMOTE LAI CHI WO VILLAGE IN DOUBLE HAVEN AND NEIGHBOURING VILLAGES CAN NOW REACH HONG KONG OR EVEN THE IR RELATIONS IN BRITAIN OR ELSEWHERE OVERSEAS IN A MATTER OF SECONDS OR MINUTES, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID AT THE OPENING OF A NEW TELEPHONE EXCHANGE IN THE VILLAGE TODAY.

+THIS TRANSFORMATION IS SYMBOLIC OF OUR DESIRE TO EXTEND TO ALL PARTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, AND TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PRACTICABLE, BENEFITS ENJOYED ELSEWHERE, SIR MURRAY SAID.

THE GOVERNOR NOTED THAT IN THE VILLAGES EMIGRATION HAD REDUCED THE NUMBER OF ABLE-BODIED RESIDENTS WHO COULD GO FOR HELP IN AN EMERGENCY, AND THE INCREASE IN HIKERS AND WEEK-END VISITORS HAD GREATLY ADDED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF HELP BE ING NEEDED.

→ IN ANY CASE TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION IS NOW A NORMAL FEATURE OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND SHOULD NOT BE DENIED TO THE REMOTE AREAS, HE SAID.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH:

+1 AM VERY PLEASED TO BE PRESENT AT THE OPENING OF THIS TELEPHONE EXCHANGE WHICH WILL BRING GREAT BENEFITS TO THE NEIGHBOUR ING VILLAGES AND KAT 0.

+I HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED OVER RECENT YEARS BY WHAT VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVES AND RURAL COMMITTEES HAVE SAID TO ME ABOUT THE LACK OF TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS WITH REMOTE VILLAGES. ON THE ONE HAND EMIGRATION HAS REDUCED THE NUMBER OF ABLE-BODIED RESIDENTS WHO COULD GO FOR HELP IN AN EMERGENCY. ON THE OTHER, THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HIKERS AND WEEK-END VISITORS HAS GREATLY ADDED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF HELP BEING NEEDED.

+IN ANY CASE TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION IS NOW A NORMAL FEATURE OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND SHOULD NOT BE DENIED TO THE REMOTE AREAS.

+THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN TACKLED WITH VIGOUR BY THE TELEPHONE COMPANY IN CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF TELEPHONE SERVICES.

+WITH THE OPENING OF THIS EXCHANGE AT LAI CHI WO COVERAGE OF REMOTE VILLAGES OF A SIGNIFICANT SIZE WILL BE NEARLY COMPLETE. THE COST TO THE TELEPHONE COMPANY HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE, BUT IT IS MONEY WELL SPENT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

/+PEOPLE