XN000022-1978-12-01 — Page 2

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1978

CHINA WATER AGREEMENT SIGNED

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THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. DAVID MCDONALD, AND THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT WATER ENGINEER, MR. TOM TOMLINSON, RETURNED FROM CANTON TODAY (FRIDAY) AFTER SIGNING A NEW WATER AGREEMENT WITH THE KWANGTUNG PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES.

MR. LEUNG WAI-LAM, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE KWANGTUNG PROVINCIAL REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE, OFFICIATED AT THE CEREMONY, WHICH WAS ALSO ATTENDED BY MR. MA PO, HEAD OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS SECTION OF THE PROVINCIAL REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE.

THE AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED BY MR. MCDONALD ON BEHALF OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND, ON BEHALF OF THE KWANGTUNG REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE, BY MR. FUNG CHI-YAN, DIRECTOR OF THE BUREAU OF WATER CONSERVANCY AND ELECTRIC POWER, KWANGTUNG PROVINCE.

AFTER THE SIGNING CEREMONY MR. LEUNG HOSTED A RECEPTION FOR REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH PARTIES.

ON HIS RETURN FROM CANTON, MR. TOMLINSON ELABORATED ON THE DETAILS OF THE AGREEMENT, WHICH PROVIDES FOR A SUPPLY OF 145 MILLION CUBIC METRES THIS YEAR, 168 MILLION CUBIC METRES PER ANNUM COMMENCING OCTOBER 1 NEXT YEAR AND A YEARLY SUPPLY OF 182 MILLION CUBIC METRES BY 1982.

THE COST OF THE WATER IS RMB 0.15 YUAN PER CUBIC METRE.

THE AGREEMENT ALSO PROVIDES FOR THE ANNUAL SHUT-DOWN PERIOD OF TWO MONTHS, CURRENTLY AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER OF EACH YEAR, TO CHANGE TO MARCH AND APRIL IN 1982 IN ORDER TO MORE READILY FACILITATE ANNUAL MAINTENANCE OF THE EAST RIVER-SHUM CHUN SYSTEM.

THE AMOUNT OF WATER SUPPLIED LAST YEAR WAS 136 MILLION CUBIC METRES.

D.S.W. UNDERLINES IMPORTANCE OF STUDENT GUIDANCE SERVICE

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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, TODAY (FRIDAY) UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDENT GUIDANCE SERVICE IN THE DETECTION OF PUPILS WITH PROBLEMS AND PROVISION OF GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE AT AN EARLY STAGE.

ADDRESSING THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF THEIR THREE-MONTH TRAINING PROGRAMME AT THE GRANTHAM COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, MR. LEE CALLED ON THE 78 STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICERS TO TRY THEIR BEST TO MEET THE CHALLENGE AHEAD.

/HE SAID