XN000022-1979-03-03 — Page 2

SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 1979

PRINCE OF WALES ARRIVES TODAY

FOR FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO HK

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HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES ARRIVED AT KAI TAK AIRPORT AT 3.26 P.M. TODAY (SATURDAY) TO BEGIN HIS FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO HONG KONG.

AS PRINCE CHARLES CAME OUT FROM THE AIRBRIDGE TO THE TERMINAL PIER AT THE AIRPORT, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE GREETED THE PRINCE AND THEN PRESENTED HIS AIDE-DE-CAMP, MR. ANGUS STEVENSON-HAMILTON FOLLOWED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR JACK CATER. THE COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES, MAJOR GENERAL SIR ROY REDGRAVE- SIR YUET-KEUNG KAN, SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL THE HON. OSWALD CHEUNG, SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND GENERAL SIR EDWIN BRAMALL, COLONEL COMMANDANT, 2ND KING EDWARD VII'S OWN GURKHA RIFLES.

PRINCE CHARLES LOOKED DASHING AND FRESH IN HIS DARK BLUE SUIT AFTER HIS 6,000-MILE JOURNEY FROM OXFORDSHIRE, U.K.

PRINCE CHARLES IS NO STRANGER TO HONG KONG HE WAS HERE FOR A BRIEF STOPOVER IN 1970 ON HIS WAY TO EXPO '70.

IN A SPAN OF NINE YEARS, HONG KONG HAS CHANGED TREMENDOUSLY. THE AIRPORT ITSELF HAS UNDERGONE MASSIVE EXTENSION, RENOVATION AND MODERNISATION.

PRINCE CHARLES AFTERWARDS WAS ESCORTED BY THE GOVERNOR TO HIS CAR FOR THE JOURNEY TO FLAGSTAFF HOUSE, THE GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE.

HAD PRINCE CHARLES VISITED HONG KONG IN 1970, HE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE CROSSED THE HARBOUR ON A LAUNCH AT KOWLOON PUBLIC PIER. BUT SO MUCH HAVE CHANGED SINCE. THE ROYAL MOTORCADE WENT THROUGH THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN 1972. THE CROSSING TOOK ABOUT THREE MINUTES WHEREAS, BY LAUNCH, IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN ABOUT 15 MINUTES.

ON HIS WAY TO FLAGSTAFF HOUSE, PRINCE CHARLES HAD HIS FIRST GLIMPSE OF SOME OF HONG KONG'S ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE PAST NINE YEARS AND WHAT IS BEING DONE TODAY.

TO HIS LEFT AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE TUNNEL IN KOWLOON IS THE MODERN, NEW RAILWAY TERMINAL WHICH REPLACED THE TSIM SHA TSUI MAIN TERMINAL,

BEHIND THE TERMINAL BUILDING, THE GIGANTIC SKELETON OF THE $93 MILLION HUNG HOM INDOOR STADIUM WHICH WILL ACCOMMODATE MORE THAN 12,000 PEOPLE IS TAKING SHAPE. THE STADIUM SUPERSTRUCTURE IS SYMBOLIC OF WHAT HONG KONG IS TRYING TO DO IN THE FIELD OF SPORTS AND RECREATION,

THEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TUNNEL IS THE POLYTECHNIC, PREVIOUSLY THE HONG KONG TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

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