XN000022-1980-01-27 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 1900

PRINCESS ALEXANDRA TO VISIT TAI O

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HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS ALEXANDRA WILL TOUR TAI 0 - THE OLDEST FISHING VILLAGE ON LANTAU ISLAND DURING HER NINE-DAY VISIT NEXT MONTH.

THE PRINCESS WILL ARRIVE AT TAI O BY HELICOPTER, ACCOMPANIED BY HER HUSBAND, THE HON ANGUS OGILVY, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, AND THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES.

SHE WILL BE MET BY THE ISLANDS DISTRICT OFFICER, MR NICKY LO, AND RURAL COMMITTEE LEADERS OF LANTAU ISLAND.

PRINCESS ALEXANDRA WILL WALK TO THE RIVER CHANNEL WHICH RUNS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE TOWN AND WHICH IS USED BY FISHING JUNKS AND TRAWLERS ON THEIR WAY TO AND FROM THE TYPHOON SHELTER.

SHE WILL CROSS THE CHANNEL BY HONG KONG'S ONLY ROPE-FERRY, A NON-PROFIT SERVICE OPERATED BY THE TAI O RURAL COMMITTEE FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

PRINCESS ALEXANDRA WILL VISIT THE 300-YEAR-OLD KWAN TAI TEMPLE, A POPULAR PLACE OF WORSHIP FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY DURING THE ANNUAL KWAN TAI FESTIVAL WHICH FALLS ON THE 13TH DAY OF THE FIFTH MOON IN THE LUNAR CALENDAR.

PRINCESS ALEXANDRA WILL THEN HAVE TEA WITH LOCAL LEADERS IN THE TAI O RURAL COMMITTEE OFFICE, SITUATED NEXT TO THE TEMPLE. DURING WHICH THE TAI O RURAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, MR YUE YUN-NEI, WILL GIVE A SHORT WELCOMING ADDRESS.

TAI O IS THE MOST WESTERLY COMMUNITY OF HONG KONG, AND A NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENT PLANS ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY TO IMPROVE THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT OF ITS 11 000 INHABITANTS.

THESE INCLUDE A $21 MILLION PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE, THE FIRST PHASE OF WHICH WILL PROVIDE HOMES FOR 1 300 PEOPLE IN 27 THREE- STOREY BLOCKS. THE LOW-RISE DESIGN OF THE BLOCKS IS INTENDED TO MAINTAIN TAI O'S VILLAGE CHARACTERISTICS.

THE ESTATE, BEING BUILT ON A 4.2-HECTARE SITE, WILL INCLUDE SHOPPING FACILITIES, A MARKET AND HAWKER BAZAAR, AS WELL AS LANDSCAPED AREAS AND PLAYGROUNDS.

IT HAS BEEN NAMED LUNG TIN, MEANING THE FIELD OF DRAGONS+.

FROM TAI 0, PRINCESS ALEXANDRA WILL PROCEED BY CAR TO MUI TRAVELLING ALONG SOUTH LANTAU ROAD.

WO,

THIS ROAD HAS BEEN STEADILY IMPROVED AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $35 MILLION TO PROVIDE A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY BETWEEN ONE END OF LANTAU ISLAND AND THE OTHER.

A REGULAR BUS SERVICE NOW RUNS FROM THE FERRY PIER AT MUI TO THE MONASTERY AT NGONG PING AND TAI 0.

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THE PRINCESS'S ROUTE WILL TAKE HER THROUGH PARTS OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH LANTAU COUNTRY PARKS WHICH WERE BOTH GAZETTED IN 1978. THEY TOTAL 30.27 SQUARE MILES IN AREA.

/IT WILL