XN000022-1978-11-15 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1978

+THEY ARE BEGINNING TO TAKE A LIVELY HAND IN LOCAL AFFAIRS, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID.

HE HOPED THAT WHEN THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION WERE RE-ORGANISED AND STRENGTHENED, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE ABLE TO RESPOND MORE READILY TO LOCAL DEMANDS AND WOULD ACHIEVE A MUCH HIGHER STANDARD OF URBAN MANAGEMENT THAN IN THE PAST.

THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING NEW TOWNS, AND REPLANNING THE OLD SO THAT THEY PROVIDE A SATISFYING LIVING ENVIRONMENT AND THE PEOPLE WITHIN THEM FIND WORK AND ENJOYMENT AND TAKE PRIDE IN THEM.

+HOPEFULLY THE DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS WILL BE THE INSTRUMENT WHEREBY PUBLIC SERVANTS AND PRIVATE CITIZENS WILL WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THIS COMMOM PURPOSE, HE SAID.

MR. AKERS-JONES ALSO SPOKE ON THE SETTING UP OF NEW COUNTRY PARKS WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT. +LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME THERE WERE ONLY FIVE SUCH PARKS.+

+NOW THERE ARE 15 IN ALL HONG KONG COVERING 130 SQUARE MILES AND VISITED BY TWO MILLION PEOPLE LAST YEAR, HE SAID.

HE AGREED THAT MORE CAMP SITES AND HOSTELS ARE NEEDED, AND SAID CAMP SITES ARE EASIER TO PROVIDE WHILE HOSTELS ARE MOŘE COSTLY AND TAKE TIME TO PLAN AND BUILD.

THE PO LEUNG KUK, HE SAID, IS BUILDING ONE SUCH HOSTEL IN SAI KUNG.

+BUT IT IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH AND I HOPE THAT OTHER ORGANISATIONS WILL FOLLOW THIS EXAMPLE.

+ IF SPONSORS COME FORWARD WITH PRIVATE FUNDS THE GOVERNMENT WILL RESPOND WITH EQUAL ENTHUSIASM TO FIND A SUITABLE SITE, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID.

14 NEW ESTATES OPENED, 48,500 FLATS PROVIDED SINCE 1973, SAYS SECRETARY FOR HOUSING

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FOURTEEN NEW PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES MAVE BEEN OPENED IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, PROVIDING 48,500 MORE FLATS FOR TENANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES,

AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S BUILDING PROGRAMME IS ACCELERATING SO FAST THAT THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WILL SEE THE COMPLETION OF 186,000 FLATS, OR ALMOST FOUR TIMES THE PRODUCTION OF THE PRECEDING FIVE YEARS.

/IS TAS