XN000022-1978-06-20 — Page 5

TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 1978

SHING MUN BRIDGE TO BE READY NEXT YEAR

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A NEW BRIDGE ON THE SHING MUN RIVER, WHICH FORMS PART OF THE NEW TRUNK ROAD IN SHA TIN, IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY EARLY 1979.

THE 36-METRE LONG, 16.5-METRE WIDE, REINFORCED CONCRETE BRIDGE HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE FOUR TRAFFIC LANES. INITIALLY, IT WILL PROVIDE ONLY TWO TRAFFIC LANES. AT A LATER DATE, AS TRAFFIC INCREASES, TWO MORE LANES CAN BE ADDED.

COMMENTING ON THE PROGRESS OF THE WORK ON THE BRIDGE. MR. S.K. KWEI PROJECT MANAGER, SHA TIN NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, SAID THAT THE FOUNDATION (RESTING ON CAST-IN-SITU PILES) AND PIERS HAVE BEEN BUILT FOR THE $0.9 MILLION BRIDGE ON WHICH WORK STARTED LAST YEAR.

+WE EXPECT THE ENTIRE WORK TO BE COMPLETED EARLY NEXT YEAR.+ HE ADDED.

VOLUNTARY WELFARE AGENCIES PLAY IMPORTANT ROLE

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VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS AND SERVICE CLUBS HAVE AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY AT A TIME WHEN THE GOVERNMENT IS BREAKING NEW GROUNDS IN WELFARE SERVICES, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE SAID THIS EVENING.

ADDRESSING THE MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF HAPPY VALLEY, MR. LEE POINTED OUT THAT WITH THE GOVERNMENT ASSUMING FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR COSTLY SCHEMES AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS THE EXISTENCE OF A VIGOROUS AND PROGRESSIVE VOLUNTARY SECTOR IS ESSENTIAL.

+ THE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION TO THE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS YEAR BY YEAR. AND THE CONTINUOUS AND INTENSIVE INVOLVEMENT OF THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR IN THE JOINT PREPARATION AND REVIEWS OF SOCIAL WELFARE PLANS ARE PRACTICAL INDICATIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEWS, HE NOTED.

CITING FIGURES TO ILLUSTRATE HIS POINT, MR. LEE SAID THIS YEAR'S SUBVENTION TOWARDS RECURRENT EXPENSES OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS AND TRUSTS HAS GONE UP TO $100 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF $32 MILLION ON THE APPROVED ESTIMATE FOR LAST YEAR.

MR. LEE