XN000022-1978-08-31 — Page 5

THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1978

DEALING WITH THE THIRD POINT RAISED BY MR. WONG

WONG - THE KUK'S SUBMISSION TO THE MINISTER FOR STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS IN LONDON LAST YEAR - SIR MURRAY POINTED OUT THAT A FULL REPLY HAD BEEN SENT SETTING OUT THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION ON ALL THE POINTS RAISED.

+SINCE THEN, THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORKING GROUP ON NEW TERRITORIES UREAN LAND ACQUISITIONS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AND IMPLEMENTED, HE ADDED.

SIR MURRAY ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE EXPENDITURE TO PROVIDE AN EVEN SPREAD OF SERVICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WAS WELL IN EXCESS OF THE DIRECT REVENUE RECEIVED +AND ALL IN HONG KONG SHARE IN THE PROSPERITY WHICH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TERRITORIES CONTRIBUTES TO OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH.+

REFERRING TO THE GOVERNMENT'S MACHINERY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT WHILE THE CREATION OF THE DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS HAD STRENGTHENED THE PROCESSES OF CONSULTATION, IT WAS NECESSARY THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S MACHINERY IN EACH REGION SHOULD BE STRONG AND POWERFUL ENOUGH TO RESPOND TO, AND SOLVE, PURELY LOCAL PROBLEMS.

+YOU WILL BE GLAD TO HEAR THAT A PROGRAMME OF PHASES REINFORCEMENT OF GOVERNMENT LOCAL ADMINISTRATION IN THE NEW TERRITORIES IS BEING EXAMINED, HE SAID. CLEARLY, IT IS NECESSARY.+

AT THE CENTRE, HE SAID, THE ADVICE OF THE KUK WOULD CONTINUE TO RECEIVE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, AND HE WAS SURE THAT VARIOUS COMMITTEES FORMED BY THE KUK WOULD BE A USEFUL VEHICLE FOR THE FORMULATION OF IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

EXPRESSING HIS BEST WISHES TO THE SENIOR OFFICIALS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE 23RD. TERM, SIR MURRAY SAID HE WAS CONFIDENT THE KUK WOULD FULFIL ITS ROLE WITH THE BEST INTERESTS OF HONG KONG AT HEART.

HE ALSO THANKED MEMBERS OF THE PREVIOUS TERM OF THE KUK AND PARTICULARLY MR. CHAN YAT-SAN HO WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE KUK FOR 10 YEARS UNTIL HIS RETIPEMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR.

SIR MURRAY SAID THAT MR. CHAN'S +PATIENT AND TIMELY REMINDERS TO US OF THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, HIS BALANCED ADVICE AND REGARD NOT ONLY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES BUT THE OVERALL INTERESTS OF HONG KONG, HAVE BEEN MOST VALUABLE DURING A VITAL PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT. +

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