XN000022-1978-03-05 — Page 2

SUNDAY, MARCH 5, 1978

DUKE OF KENT TO VISIT TUEN MUN

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HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF KENT WILL SEE HOW THE FORMER FISHING VILLAGE OF TUEN MUN IS GRADUALLY BEING TRANSFORMED

1 TO A MODERN METROPOLIS DURING HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG THIS WEEK.

THE DUKE, A COUSIN OF THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH, ARRIVES TODAY (SUNDAY) FOR A FIVE-DAY VISIT IN HIS CAPACITY AS VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE BRITISH OVERSEAS TRADE BOARD. HE WILL OPEN THE BRITISH INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION TOMORROW (MONDAY).

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS WILL VISIT TUEN MUN NEW TOWN ON TUESDAY TO SEE THE NASSIVE DEVELOPMENT WORKS NOW UNDERWAY TO CREATE A MODERN SELF-SUPPORTING TOWNSHIP WITH A FULL COMPLEMENT OF SERVICES, INDUSTRY AND HOUSING BY THE MID-EIGHTIES FOR AN EVENTUAL POPULATION OF 530,000.

THE GOVERNMENT EXPECTS TO SPEND AN ESTIMATED TOTAL OF SOME 3,500 MILLION ON TUEN MUN'S DEVELOPMENT BY THE MID-EIGHTIES, AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISE IS EXPECTED TO INJECT A SIMILAR AMOUNT INTO THE PROJECT.

THE DUKE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED AT TUEN MUN BY THE SECRETARY OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES. ALSO PRESENT WILL EE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK, MR. CHAN YAT-SAN, AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TUEN MUN RURAL COMMITTEE, MR. LAU WONG-FAT, TWO PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE TUEN MUN DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD RECENTLY SET UP TO ADVISE ON MATTERS AFFECTING THE WELL-BEING OF INHABITANTS IN TUEN MUN.

THE DUKE WILL VIEW THE VARIOUS WORKS UNDERWAY FROM A VANTAGE POINT OVERLOOKING THE NEW TOWN AND WILL BE BRIEFED ON THE BUILDING AND ENGINEERING PROGRAMME BY THE DISTRICT OFFICER TUEN MUN, MR. PETER NG, AND THE NEW TOWN'S PROJECT MANGER, MR. S.A. BARDEN.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, WHO SERVED WITH THE ROYAL SCOTS GREY IN HONG KONG BETWEEN 1962 AND 1963, MAY REMEMBER TUEN MUN (OR CASTLE PEAK AS IT WAS THEN KNOWN), AS A RATHER QUIET, REMOTE MARKET COMMUNITY NESTLING IN THE SHADOW OF CASTLE PEAK RIDGE.

TODAY, AS THE NEW TOWN IS BEGINNING TO TAKE SHAPE, MODERN SKYSCRAPERS, SCHOOLS AND FACTORIES DOT THE SKYLINE AND THE SHORELINE OF CASTLE PEAK BAY ITSELF IS BEING PUSHED BACK FURTHER BY MASSIVE RECLAMATION TO PROVIDE NEW SITES FOR A RANGE OF HOUSING, COMMUNITY FACILITIES, AND INDUSTRY.

ALREADY, MORE THAN 100 HECTARES OF NEW LAND HAS BEEN FORMED AND SERVICED AND WORK IS PROGRESSING STEADILY ON PRODUCING ANOTHER 140 HECTARES.

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AT PRESENT TUEK KUN NEW TOWN HAS POPULATION OF ABOUT 60,000. LY THE MID-EIGHTIES, THE DUKE ILL LEARN, THE POPULATION WILL HAVE SWELLED TO SOME 528,000, WITH ABOUT 70 PER CENT LIVING IS SELF-CONTAINED PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, COMPLETE WITH SHOPPING COMPLEXES AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.

THE DUKE,