XN000022-1979-03-12 — Page 3

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MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1979

LORD CACCIA LOOKS AT TUEN MUN

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LORD CACCIA, LORD PRIOR OF THE ORDER OF ST. JOHN, VISITED TUEN MUN - ONE OF THE THREE MAJOR NEW TOWNS BEING DEVELOPED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AFTERNOON.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE GOVERNOR

THIS (MONDAY)

SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, LORD

CACCIA STARTED HIS VISIT WITH A HELICOPTER TOUR OVER KWAI CHUNG, TSING YI, TSUEN WAN AND TUEN MUN.

ON LANDING AT THE CASTLE PEAK HOSPITAL IN TUEN MUN LORD CACCIA AND SIR MURRAY WERE MET BY THE ACTING TUEN MUN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. GEOFFREY ORR AND THE TUEN MUN PROJECT MANAGER, MR. STAN BARDEN.

THE PARTY THEN PROCEEDED TO +TOP COURT+ IN TUEN MUN NEW TOWN FOR A BIRD'S EYEVIEW AND BRIEFING ON THE NEW TOWN.

LORD CACCIA WAS TOLD THAT THE VAST DEVELOPMENT NOW TAKING PLACE IN TUEN MUN AIMS AT PROVIDING AN IMPROVED URBAN ENVIRONMENT INCORPORATING ADEQUATE COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES TO SERVE A TARGET POPULATION OF MORE THAN HALF A MILLION BY THE MID-1980'S.

EVENTUALLY THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF NINE PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES TO ACCOMMODATE 70 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION.

LORD CACCIA SEEMED TO BE VERY IMPRESSED BY THE GROWTH RATE OF PUBLIC HOUSING AND INDUSTRY IN THE NEW TOWN. HE WAS INFORMED THAT BECAUSE OF ITS DISTANCE FROM KOWLOON GREATER EMPHASIS IS BEING PLACED ON PROVIDING INDUSTRIAL LAND IN TUEN MUN SO THAT JOBS ARE AVAILABLE FOR IN-COMING RESIDENTS.

INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS COMPLETED INCLUDED THOSE FOR A TEXTILE MANUFACTURING PLANT, PLASTIC FACTORIES, FLATTED FACTORIES, A CLOTH PRINTING FACTORY, A ZIPPER MANUFACTURING PLANT AND A BUS DEPOT.

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