XN000022-1979-09-24 — Page 5

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1979

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IN THE AFTERNOON, MR. BLAKER MADE A BRIEF VISIT TO TAI PO TO SEE THE VAST DEVELOPMENT TAKING PLACE IN THE DISTRICT.

ACCOMPANIED BY SIR MURRAY AND THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. JOHN TODD, MR. BLAKER DROVE TO TAI PO VIA THE SHA TIN-TAI PO ROAD, VARIOUS SECTIONS OF WHICH HAVE RECENTLY BEEN IMPROVED,

ON ARRIVAL AT A VANTAGE POINT OVERLOOKING THE TAI PO INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, HE WAS MET BY THE TAI PO DISTRICT OFFICER, MR. PETER JOHNSON, THE TAI PO AND FANLING PROJECT MANAGER, MR. GEOFF THOMAS AND THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE TAI PO INDUSTRIAL ESTATE CORPORATION, MR. VIC MILLER.

HE WAS GIVEN A BRIEFING ON THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT IN THE DISTRICT SPEARHEADED BY THE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE PROJECT,

MR. BLAKER WAS TOLD THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS EMBARKING ON A $2.5 BILLION PLAN TO TRANSFORM TAI PO INTO A NEW TOWN WITH A TARGETED POPULATION OF OVER 220 000 PEOPLE.

MR. MILLER TOLD THE MINISTER THAT TAI PO INDUSTRI AL ESTATE HAD PROVED AN ATTRACTIVE PROPOSITION FOR INDUSTRI ALISTS,

+A NET 34 HECTARES OF INDUSTRIAL LAND ARE NOW AVAILABLE AND 18 SITES HAVE SO FAR BEEN GRANTED AND ANOTHER SEVEN GRANTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MADE SOON.

SAID.

+THE FIRST FACTORY SHOULD BE OPEN EARLY NEXT YEAR,+ HE

THE FACTORIES UNDER CONSTRUCTION INVOLVE A WIDE RANGE OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PRODUCTS INCLUDING BEER, SPECIAL MACHINES, POLYURETHANE PRODUCTS AND AUTOMOBILE EXHAUST SYSTEMS.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS MR. PETER BLAKER WILL GIVE A PRESS CONFERENCE TOMORROW (TUESDAY BEFORE LEAVING FOR MANILA IN THE EVENING.

YOU ARE INVITED TO SEND A REPORTER AND/OR PHOTOGRAPHER TO COVER THE CONFERENCE WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE AT 4.30 P.M. TOMORROW IN THE G.I.S. THEATRE, FIFTH FLOOR, BEACONSFIELD HOUSE. TELEVISION CREWS ARE REQUESTED TO ARRIVE EARLY SO THAT THEY WILL HAVE AMPLE TIME TO SET UP THEIR EQUIPMENT.

MR. BLAKER WILL LEAVE ON FLIGHT OF 28 (E.T.D. 2130 HOURS) FOR MANILA, MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES WISHING TO COVER MR. BLAKER'S DEPARTURE ARE REQUESTED TO CONTACT MR. H.L. KO OF CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT AT THE AIRPORT PRESS ROOM, KAI TAK AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING AT LEAST 45 MINUTES BEFORE THE ESTIMATED TIME OF DEPARTURE.

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