XN000022-1979-12-16 — Page 6

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1979

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$10 MILLION DONATION FOR PROMOTION OF MUSIC

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THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR JACK CATER THIS (SUNDAY) AFTERNOON RECEIVED A FURTHER $10 MILLION DONATION FROM THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB FOR THE PROMOTION OF MUSIC IN HONG KONG AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUSICAL TRAINING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

ACCEPTING THE MONEY ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS WHO WILL BE THE TRUSTEE OF THE NEW JOCKEY CLUB MUSIC FUND, SIR JACK DESCRIBED THE DONATION AS IMAGINATIVE AND TIMELY,+

+ IT MEANS A CONSIDERABLE BOOST TO THE MUSICAL EDUCATION OF FUTURE GENERATIONS OF YOUNG MUSICIANS, AND AN ADDED IMPETUS TO POTENTIAL ASPIRING PERFORMERS WHO MAY OTHERWISE HAVE HAD LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THEIR TALENT FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF OTHERS, HE SAID.

TODAY'S DONATION CEREMONY TOOK PLACE DURING A CONCERT IN PENFOLD PARK, SHA TIN. THE CONCERT, JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE MUSIC ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE AND THE HONG KONG PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY, IS THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF OUTDOOR CONCERTS TO BE STAGED THERE.

FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF SIR JACK'S SPEECH AT THE

CEREMONY:

+THE LINK BETWEEN THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB AND MUSICAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG WHICH MAY NOT, AT FIRST SIGHT, SEEM OBVIOUS, WAS IN FACT FIRMLY ESTABLISHED IN 1977.

+IN THAT YEAR, THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB PROVIDED FOR THE FIRST TIME AN INITIAL GRANT OF $600 000 AS WORKING CAPITAL FOR THE PROMOTION OF MUSIC IN HONG KONG IN GENERAL AND, MORE SPECIFICALLY, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUSICAL TRAINING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

*THE INITIAL GRANT HAS SINCE BEEN AUGMENTED BY TWO SUCCESSIVE ANNUAL GRANTS OF $800 000 EACH, MAKING TO DATE A TOTAL DONATION OF $2,2 MILLION.

+TODAY, I HAVE VERY GREAT PLEASURE IN ACCEPTING A FURTHER DONATION OF $10 MILLION. THIS WILL PROVIDE THE CAPITAL FOR ESTABLISHING A TRUST FUND, THE INTEREST ACCRUING TO WHICH WILL BE APPLIED TO MAKING GRANTS TO SCHOOLS AND TO OTHER ORGANISATIONS IN FULFILLING THE OBJECTIVES OF THE FUND.

+THIS MOST GENEROUS INFUSION OF FUNDS INTO MUSICAL ACTIVITY IS IMAGINATIVE AND TIMELY. IT MEANS A CONSIDERABLE BOOST TO THE MUSICAL EDUCATION OF FUTURE GENERATIONS OF YOUNG MUSICIANS, AND AN ADDED IMPETUS TO POTENTIAL ASPIRING PERFORMERS WHO MAY OTHERWISE HAVE HAD LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THEIR TALENT FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF OTHERS.

+ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, WHO IS TO BE CUSTODIAN TRUSTEE OF THE JOCKEY CLUB MUSIC FUND, I SHOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS SINCERE APPREICATION TO THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE FUND WILL BE PUT TO FULL USE IN ENCOURAGING AND DEVELOPING HONG KONG'S FUTURE MUSICIANS.+

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