XN000022-1979-03-24 — Page 2

SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1979

GOVERNOR OFF TO CHINA *****

THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, THIS (SATURDAY) AFTERNOON LEFT HONG KONG FOR CANTON BY A SPECIAL HOVERFERRY ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT AT THE INVITATION OF MR. LI QIANG, MINISTER OF FOREIGN TRADE.

ACCOMPANYING SIR MURRAY ON THE VISIT WAS LADY MACLEHOSE- SIR YUET-KEUNG KAN, SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL LADY KAN DR. DAVID WILSON, POLITICAL ADVISER, AND MRS. WILSON.

SIR MURRAY ARRIVED AT TAI KOK TSUI FERRY PIER AT 2.50 P.M. AND WAS SEEN OFF BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR JACK CATER= UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR SIDNEY GORDON- SEN FOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. OSWALD CHEUNG- MR. OSCAR MICHELENA, CONSUL-GENERAL OF VENEZUELA WHO IS THE DOYEN OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF XINHUA NEWS AGENCY.

ALSO AT THE PIER TO SEE THE GOVERNOR OFF WAS A LARGE CROWD OF PEOPLE WHO WAVED AT HIM AS THE HOVERFERRY BEGAN PULLING OUT. SIR MURRAY AND SIR YUET-KEUNG, WHO WERE ON THE DECK OF THE BOAT, WAVED BACK.

SIR MURRAY AND HIS PARTY WILL BE IN CHINA FOR 11 DAYS AND WILL RETURN TO HONG KONG ON APRIL 4 ON AN INAUGURAL EXPRESS TRAIN.

SIR JACK CATER ACTING GOVERNOR

******

SIR JACK CATER HAS ASSUMED THE FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR FROM THIS (SATURDAY) EVENING, FOLLOWING THE DEPARTURE FROM HONG KONG OF THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE.

12