XN000022-1979-03-05 — Page 3

MONDAY, MARCH 5, 1979

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THE PRINCE WAS CLEARLY DELIGHTED AND INTERESTED TO MEET THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP.

AS HE ENTERED THE TOWN HALL FROM THE STADIUM PRINCE CHARLES WATCHED A MIXED GROUP OF YOUNG AND OLD PEOPLE DEMONSTRATING THE GRACEFUL MOVEMENTS OF TAI CHI CHUAN (SHADOW BOXING) AND THE VIGOUROUS JUDO IN THE PLAYGROUND AND STOPPED TO TALK TO SEVERAL OF THEM.

INSIDE THE HALL, THE AIR WAS FILLED WITH THE SOOTHING SOUNDS OF CHINESE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. THE NUMBERS WERE PLAYED BY THE YUEN LONG CHINESE ORCHESTRA FORMED ONLY IN 1974 BUT ALREADY ENJOYING A HIGH REPUTATION WELL BEYOND THE DISTRICT.

WHILE THE ORCHESTRA PLAYED ON, PRINCE CHARLES VIEWED A PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION DEPICTING THE DISTRICT'S HISTORY, COMMUNITY LIFE, COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AND THE SPIRIT OF PROGRESS.

HE DISPLAYED AN INTEREST IN A NUMBER OF THE PICTURES AND SOUGHT FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE VARIOUS SUBJECTS FROM OFFICIALS ACCOMPAYING HIM.

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ABOUT

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS ENDED THE VISIT ABOUT 4.12 P.M. 12 MINUTES BEHIND SCHEDULE AND RETURNED TO CASSINO LINES IN SEK KONG TO CONTINUE HIS EVENING PROGRAMME ARRANGED BY HIS REGIMENT, INCLUDING A BEATING THE RETREAT. HE IS STAYING OVERNIGHT THERE.

HRH PAYS WARM TRIBUTE TO RHKAAF ****

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES TODAY (MONDAY) PAID WARM TRIBUTE TO THE ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE KONG'S OWN AIR CORPS.

+THE RHKAAF HAD SERVED THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WITH ENTHUSIASM AND DEVOTION AND COULD BE JUSTLY PROUD OF ITS PAST RECORD, PRINCE CHARLES TOLD THE FLYING VOLUNTEERS.

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HONG

PRINCE CHARLES WAS ADDRESSING MEMBERS OF THE RHKAAF AT A CEREMONY AT SEK KONG AT WHICH HE OFFICIALLY PRESENTED THE SQUADRON STANDARD TO THE FORCE. THE STANDARD WAS AWARDED BY THE QUEEN TWO YEARS AHEAD OF THE NORMAL 25-YEAR QUALIFYING PERIOD.

APPROPRIATELY, PRINCE CHARLES ARRIVED FOR THE OCCASION BY HELICOPTER WHICH HE PILOTED HIMSELF. HE WAS WELCOMED BY THE RHKAAF HON. AIR COMMODORE GORDON BELL WHO PRESENTED AIR VICE MARSHALL G.C. CAIRNS, GROUP CAPTAIN L.E. ROBINS, AND SQUADRON LEADER D.K. CHEUNG.

THE PRINCE SAID HE WAS DELIGHTED TO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH THE RHKAAF AND RECALLED THAT HIS FATHER, PRINCE PHILIP, AND HIS AUNT, PRINCESS MARGARET, HAD HAD THE PLEASURE OF FLYING WITH THE FORCE.

/PRINCE CHARLES