XN000022-1978-05-18 — Page 5

THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1978

IN THE FIELD OF RECREATION, HE SAID, ACTIVE AND PASSIVE RECREATION GROUNDS SUCH AS TURFÉD FOOTBALL FIELDS. HARD-SURFACED MINI-SOCCER PITCHES, BASKETBALL COURTS, CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUNDS, SITTING OUT AREAS AND AMENITY PLOTS WERE BEING BUILT.

THE FIRST BIG SWIMMING POOL COMPLEX IS ALREADY OPENED IN KHAI CHUNG, A SECOND SMALLER POOL IS BEING BUILT AT FAN LING WHILE SEVERAL OTHER POOL COMPLEXES ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGE FOR TSUEN WAN, SHA TIN, TUEN MUN, YUEN LONG AND TAI PO.

A SQUASH COURT ON THE UPPER FLOOR OF THE NEW PERMANENT MARKET IN TAI PO IS ALSO BEING CONSIDERED.

AS FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES, MR. WILSON SAID THE USD HOPED TO EVENTUALLY PROVIDE ONE FOR EVERY 200,000 HEAD OF POPULATION WITH A LENDING SECTION, REFERENCE SECTION, PERIODICALS, JUNIOR SECTION AND A STUDENT STUDY ROOM.

THERE WILL ALSO BE SPACE FOR EXTENSION ACTIVITIES AND AN EXHIBITION ROOM FOR DISPLAYING TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS OF ART. MUSEUM MATERIAL AND ANYTHING THAT WILL USEFULLY STIMULATE AWARENESS OF CULTURE.

TO THIS END, HE SAID, A NEW TOWN HALL IS BEING BUILT IN TSUEN WAN AND DETAILED PLANNING IS GOING ON FOR THE ONES AT SHA TIN AND TUEN MUN.

IN THIS CONNECTION ALSO, HE ADDED, THE DEPARTMENT'S ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS SECTION WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD OF WHICH HE IS THE CHAIRMAN, TO CONSIDER PRESERVING PLACES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST IN THE N.T.

HE SAID THE BOARD HAD RECENTLY INSPECTED A NUMBER OF FINE OLD ANCESTRAL HALLS THAT NEEDED RESTORING AND PRESERVING AS EXAMPLES OF THE OLD WAY OF LIFE.

EXPLAINING THE ORGANISATION OF THE DEPARTMENT'S STAFF FOR THE N.T., MR. WILSON SAID THEY WERE UNDER A DEPUTY DIRECTOR WHO HAD SEVEN URBAN SERVICES OFFICERS (USO) EACH IN CHARGE OF A PARTICULAR DISTRICT SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION.

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, THE USO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL USD ACTIVITIES IN HIS DISTRICT COVERING PUBLIC HEALTH, CLEANSING, RECREATION, PEST CONTROL, HORTICULTURE, CEMETERIES, HAWKERS AND MARKETS.

THE FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH THE USD OPERATES IS GOVERNED BY A COMPREHENSIVE MASS OF LEGISLATION. IN THE CASE OF PUBLIC HEALTH, STANDARDS ARE BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION.

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