XN000022-1979-12-01 — Page 5

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1979

OPENING OF YUEN LONG SQUASH COURTS

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A FOUR-COURT SQUASH COMPLEX, BUILT WITH FUNDS DONATED BY SIR SHIU-KIN TANG, WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED IN YUEN LONG TODAY (SATURDAY).

THE COMPLEX HAS BEEN NAMED AFTER THE CHIEF JUSTICE, SIR DENYS ROBERTS, IN HONOUR OF HIS LONG SERVICE IN HONG KONG AND HIS ACHIEVEMENTS.

SIR DENYS UNVEILED A COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE AT THE OPENING CEREMONY WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR. LI FOOK-KOW, AND THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONĖS.

SPEAKING AT THE CEREMONY, SIR SHIU-KIN SAID THAT AT ITS PRESENT STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT, YUEN LONG WAS GREATLY IN NEED OF INDOOR SPORTS FACILITIES.

HE SAID HE WAS AWARE THAT SQUASH HAD BEEN INCREASING IN POPULARITY AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. THE GAME DEMANDED BOTH SPEED AND SKILL AND IT PROVIDED GOOD EXERCISE FOR THE CO-ORDINATION OF BODY AND MIND.

+ I HOPE THE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE WILL MAKE FULL USE OF THESE COURTS TO DEVELOP THEIR PHYSIQUE AND CHARACTER AT THE SAME TIME.

SIR SHIU-KIN SAID HE WAS HAPPY TO SEE THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPING INTO A PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY IN AN ATTRACTIVE ENVIRONMENT.

THE SQUASH COURTS WERE THE FIRST PROJECT HE HAD DONATED TO IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

*THE PROSPERITY OF THE COMMUNITY RELIES ON THE CLOSE CO-OPERATION OF THE RESIDENTS AND THE GOVERNMENT AND I HOPE THERE WILL BE MANY OTHERS WHO WILL FOLLOW THE PRINCIPLE OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WHAT ONE TAKES FROM IT, HE SAID.

MR. AKERS-JONES, THANKING SIR SHIU-KIN FOR HIS GENEROUS DONATION, SAID YUEN LONG WAS A COMMUNITY WHICH HELPED ITSELF AND IT WAS NOT BY CHANCE THAT IT WOULD SOON BE A TOWN WITH ITS OWN TOWN HALL, AUDITORIUM, STADIUM, SWIMMING POOL AND SPORTS FACILITIES OF ALL KINDS INCLUDING THESE SQUASH COURTS WHICH ARE OPENED TODAY AND THESE ARE NOT IDLE THOUGHTS AND EMPTY PROMISES BUT HARD FACT.+

HE SAID THE COURTS INTRODUCED A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR HEALTHY EXERCISE INTO THE AREA AND HE WAS CERTAIN THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF YUEN LONG WOULD BE QUICK TO RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGE. MR. AKERS-JONES LAID THE FOUNDATION STONE IN JUNE.

/THE COURTS