XN000022-1979-04-27 — Page 2

FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 1979

PRESERVING HK'S RELICS

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THE GOVERNMENT IS INVESTING STEADILY INCREASING RESOURCES FOR THE PRESERVATION OF LARGE AREAS OF MOUNTAINOUS COUNTRYSIDE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE SAID THIS (FRIDAY) EVENING.

SPEAKING AT THE CONCLUDING DINNER OF THE COMMONWEALTH ASSOCIATION OF ARCHITECTS CONFERENCE, SIR MURRAY SAID THE AREAS TO BE PRESERVED CONTAIN VILLAGES, WHICH ARE +RELICS OF A TRADITIONAL RURAL LIFE AND RURAL ARCHITECTURE THAT HAVE EXISTED FOR CENTURIES BUT IS NOW RAPIDLY DISAPPEARING FROM HONG KONG A

EARLIER, SIR MURRAY SAID THAT IN HONG KONG WHERE CONSTRUCTION AND RE-CONSTRUCTION OF A GIGANTIC SCALE ARE GOING ON, THERE MIGHT BE CONTROVERSY ABOUT AESTHETICS +ABOUT WHAT OF THE NEW IS GOOD AND ABOUT WHAT OF THE OLD SHOULD HAVE BEEN RETAINED,+

+BUT THE GREAT STRIDES IN BUILDING BETTER LIVING STANDARDS ARE THERE FOR ALL TO SEE,+ HE NOTED.

FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH :

+1 AM HONOURED TO BE INVITED TO THIS DINNER AND DELIGHTED THAT THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS SHOULD BE HOST TO THIS COMMONWEALTH ASSOCIATION OF ARCHITECTS CONFERENCE AND I AM GLAD INDEED TO PROPOSE THE TOAST TO THIS PRESTIGIOUS BODY.

+ IN PRACTICE I DO SO WITH SOME HESITATION, BECAUSE I PRESUME THAT IN THE PRECEDING WEEK EVERYTHING THAT CAN PROPERLY OR IMPROPERLY BE SAID ABOUT ARCHITECTURE HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID.

+IN A COMMUNITY SUCH AS OURS IN WHICH CONSTRUCTION AND RE-CONSTRUCTION IS ON SUCH A GIGANTIC SCALE, THE SCOPE FOR ARCHITECTS IS GREAT. OF COURSE THE PROFESSION IS OBLIGED TO OPERATE UNDER UNUSUAL PRESSURES OF SPACE BECAUSE THERE IS SO LITTLE IN HONG KONG — AND OF TIME BECAUSE IN HONG KONG WE ARE ALWAYS IN A HURRY.

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+WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE ENORMOUS TASK OF IMPROVING LIVING STANDARDS AND CREATING NEW ECONOMIC POSSIBILITIES BY REDEPLOYING THE POPULATION INTO NEW TOWNS IN NEW AREAS AND BY REDEVELOPING THE OLD ONES, AND BY BINDING THE WHOLE INTO A SINGLE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC UNIT BY A NEW NETWORK OF COMMUNICATIONS.

+ IN THIS ENTERPRISE FOUGHT WITH BRICKS, STEEL AND CONCRETE, YOUR PROFESSION HAS SERVED HONG KONG WELL. AND THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN, AND IS, VERY MUCH DEPENDENT ON THE COMPETENCE, IMAGINATION AND HIGH ETHICAL STANDARDS OF YOUR PROFESSION OF WHICH THE LOCAL CUSTODIAN IS THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS.

/+THERE MAY