XN000022-1980-03-04 — Page 4

TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 1980

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NUMBER OF NEW PRIVATE CARS

REGISTERED LAST MONTH A RECORD

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A TOTAL OF 6 154 NEW PRIVATE CARS WERE REGISTERED WITH THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT IN FEBRUARY 1980 - THE HIGHEST FOR ANY SINGLE MONTH.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THE FIGURE WAS NEARLY THREE TIMES MORE THAN THE 2 289 NEW CAR REGISTRATIONS RECORDED IN THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR.

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED PRIVATE CARS HAD INCREASED FROM 114 161 IN FEBRUARY 1977 TO 171 367 IN FEBRUARY 1980, A GROWTH OF MORE THAN 50 PER CENT OVER THREE YEARS. IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS ALONE, THE INCREASE WAS ABOUT 17.5 PER CENT.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THERE HAS BEEN A GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF ALL CLASSES OF VEHICLES WITH PRIVATE CARS LEADING THE OTHERS.+

MORE MEDICAL FACILITIES IN NT'S WESTERN REGION

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MORE HOSPITALS AND CLINICS ARE TO BE BUILT IN THE WESTERN REGION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES DURING THE DECADE AS PART OF THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME TO COPE WITH THE EXPECTED INCREASE IN POPULATION.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K L THONG THIS (TUESDAY) AFTERNOON AT THE FOUNDATION STONE LAYING CEREMONY OF THE NEW STAFF QUARTERS OF POK OI HOSPITAL.

IN KEEPING WITH THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TOWNS PARTICULARLY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, HE SAID, PROJECTS PLANNED WOULD INCLUDE A 1 364-BED HOSPITAL AND A POLYCLINIC AT Tuen Mun.

ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FOUR-STOREY STAFF QUARTERS OF POK OF HOSPITAL, HE SAID THAT IT WAS ONLY THE FIRST PHASE OF THE HOSPITAL'S PROPOSED LONG-TERM EXPANSION PLAN BEING EXAMINED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

+SUBJECT TO THE ADVICE OF THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, IT IS ENVISAGED THAT THERE WILL BE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IN THE HOSPITAL TO UP-GRADE ITS FACILITIES TO A FULL DISTRICT HOSPITAL CAPACITY, HE ADDED.

HE POINTED OUT THAT WHEN THE HOSPITAL'S DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME WAS COMPLETED, THE GROWING POPULATION IN YUEN LONG WOULD BE SERVED WITH CONSIDERABLY EXPANDED MEDICAL FACILITIES.

DR THONG ALSO PAID TRIBUTE TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE HOSPITAL AND SAID: THIS EXPANSION PROJECT IS YET ANOTHER EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE MEDICAL SERVICE FOR THE PUBLIC, HE SAID.

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