XN000022-1978-06-30 — Page 3

FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 1978

SIR DONALD LUDDINGTON, KBE, CMG, CVO, 57, GRADUATED FROM ST. ANDREWS

UNIVERSITY AND SERVED IN THE BRITISH ARMY FROM 1940 TO 1946. HE

AS FIRST APPOINTED TO HONG KONG IN FEBRUARY 1949 AS A CADET OFFICER. AFTER HOLDING A VARIETY OF APPOINTMENTS, INCLUDING THOSE CF DISTRICT COMMISSIONER, NEW TERRITORIES AND DEFENCE SECRETARY, HE WAS APPOINTED SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS IN 1971. HE WENT TO THE WESTERN PACIFIC TO BE GOVERNOR OF THE SOLOMON ISLANDS IN 1973 AND RETURNED TO HONG KONG IN APRIL 1977 AS CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC SERVICES COMMISSION.

IAN LIGHTBODY, CMG, JP, 56, WAS EDUCATED AT GLASGOW UNIVERSITY

AND SERVED IN THE INDIAN ARMY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR. HE WAS APPOINTED A CADET OFFICER IN HONG KONG IN 1946 AND HAS HELD MANY APPOINTMENTS INCLUDING DISTRICT COMMISSIONER, NEW TERRITORIES COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, DEFENCE SECRETARY, PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT COLONIAL SECRETARY, COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT AND SECRETARY FOR HOUSING. HE HAS BEEN SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION SINCE 1977.

R.A.F. KAI TAK RETURNED TO GOVERNMENT

FOR REDEVELOPMENT

*****

THE GOVERNMENT TODAY FORMALLY TOOK POSSESSION OF THE 44.5-HECTARE ROYAL AIR FORCE STATION AT KAI TAK IN KEEPING WITH THE NEW DEFENCE COST AGREEMENT SIGNED IN 1975 BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS,

THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. DAVID MCDONALD, ACCEPTED THE DEEDS, TITLES AND DOCUMENTS FOR THE SITE FROM GROUP CAPTAIN DAN HONLEY, COMMANDER ROYAL AIR FORCE HONG KONG, DURING A BRIEF HANDING-OVER CEREMONY AT R.A.F. KAI TAK THIS AFTERNOON.

MR. MCDONALD SAID: +ALTHOUGH THIS CEREMONY MARKS THE CLOSING OF A CHAPTER IN THE R.A.F. HISTORY IN HONG KONG IT ALSO MARKS THE BEGINNING OF NEW DEVELOPMENT OF THIS VERY IMPORTANT KOWLOON SITE.+

THE LARGE LAND AREA, HE SAID, WOULD BE DEVELOPED FOR USES SUCH AS LIGHT INDUSTRY, PUBLIC HOUSING, OPEN SPACE AND THE EXPANSION OF AIRPORT FACILITIES ALL OF WHICH WOULD BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY.

+WE HAVE NOW REACHED THE CULMINATION OF A PERIOD OF INTENSE ACTIVITY BY THE ROYAL AIR FORCE AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, + MR. MCDONALD SAID.

/+THE DECISION