XN000022-1978-08-31 — Page 2

THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1978

N.T. NEW TOWNS CONCEPT NOW A REALITY, SAYS GOVERNOR

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THE GOVERNMENT'S CONCEPT OF BUILDING THREE MAJOR NEW TOWNS AT SHA TIN, TUEN MUN AND TSUEN WAN - ANNOUNCED SIX YEARS AGO - HAS NOW BECOME A REALITY, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID TODAY.

HE SAID THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS WILL SEE NOT ONLY THE CRYSTALISATION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR HOUSING AND INDUSTRY

IN THE TOWNS, BUT ALSO THE COMPLETION OF THEIR TOWN CENTRES, SECONDARY SCHOOLS, SWIMMING POOLS, LIBRARIES AND PLAYGROUNDS AND OTHER FACILITIES.

+THESE TOWNS OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SOMETHING BETTER THAN WAS POSSIBLE IN THE OLD URBAN AREAS, AND WE ARE DETERMINED TO SEIZE IT, SIR MURRAY SAID.

INCLUDING

THE GOVERNOR WAS SPEAKING TO MORE THAN 1,000 PEOPLE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS, URBAN COUNCILLORS, SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, MEMBERS OF THE CONSULAR CORPS AND RURAL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO WERE GUESTS AT THE CITY HALL TO SEE THE INAUGURATION OF THE 23RD TERM OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK.

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THE 111 COUNCILLORS WHO MAKE UP THE FULL COUNCIL OF THE KUK WERE SEATED BEHIND SIR MURRAY AND THE OFFICIAL PARTY WHICH COMPRISED THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR YUET- KEUNG KAN- THE KUK'S OUTGOING CHAIRMAN, MR. CHAN YAT-SAN- THE NEW CHAIRMAN, MR. STEPHEN Y.C. WONG THE FIRST VICE-CHAIRMAN, MR. LAU WONG-FAT THE SECOND VICE-CHAIRMAN, MR. PETER YEUNG AND THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES.

IN A WIDE-RANGING SPEECH TOUCHING ON MANY ASPECTS OF GOVERNMENT POLICY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, SIR MURRAY SAID THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TOWNS WAS WELL UNDERWAY.+

+ THE ORIGINAL RECLAMATION AT SHA TIN IS VIRTUALLY COMPLETE AND PLANS FOR ITS EXTENSION ARE FAR ADVANCED, LARGE AREAS OF THE VALLEY ARE BEING PREPARED FOR DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING ESTATES FOR ABOUT 145,000 PEOPLE ARE IN VARIOUS STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION,+ HE SAID. +THERE IS EMPLOYMENT, TOO, AT HAND FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE NEARBY

INDUSTRIAL CENTRE AT FO TAN.

+AT TSUEN WAN, DEVELOPMENT HAS MOVED INTO THE NORTHERN PART OF THE TOWN AND HAS BEEN ACCELERATED BY THE EXTENSION OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY.

+WORK IS ALSO IN HAND TO IMPROVE THE OLDER DENSELY POPULATED PART OF THE TOWN HOUSING ESTATES ARE ALREADY OCCUPIED ON TSING YI, WHICH, IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, HAS ALSO DEVELOPED AS AN IMPORTANT

INDUSTRIAL AREA.+

/SIR MURRAY SAID