XN000022-1980-04-23 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1980

NEW TERM OF TSUEN WAN RURAL COMMITTEE INAUGURATED

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THE IMPORTANCE OF TSUEN WAN RURAL COMMITTEE HAS BEEN LONG-ESTABLISHED, TOWN MANAGER AND DISTRICT OFFICER TSUEN WAN, MR JAMES HAYES SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE 20TH TERM OF THE COMMITTEE.

+THE COMMITTEE EXISTS MAINLY TO SERVE AN INDIGENOUS VILLAGE COMMUNITY OF TSUEN WAN, WHICH SUPPLIES VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVES WHO IN TURN ELECT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, BUT FOR THE WHOLE PERIOD OF ITS EXISTENCE IT HAS RENDERED A MUCH WIDER SERVICE TO INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN,+ HE SAID.

REFERRING TO DEVELOPMENTS IN THE NEW TOWN, MR HAYES SAID A GOVERNMENT OFFICE, A MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK AND A LIBRARY ADEQUATE TO THE SIZE OF THE POPULATION OF THE NEW TOWN HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.

+HOWEVER, THEIR COMPLETION IS DEPENDENT UPON THE RECLAMATION NOW IN HAND IN TSUEN WAN BAY WHICH WILL PROVIDE THE BEST SITE FOR THESE MAJOR AND MUCH NEEDED COMMUNITY FACILITIES.

ON TRAFFIC, HE SAID THE TSUEN WAN BY-PASS WAS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY 1984 AND ROUTE 5 FROM SHA TIN TO TSUEN WAN WAS TO BE THE SUBJECT OF A CONSULTANT FEASIBILITY STUDY TO BEGIN LATER THIS YEAR, FINANCED BY AN ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK LOAN.

MR HAYES TOLD THE COMMITTEE THAT ITS VIEWS ON GRAVE WORSHIPPING PRACTICES WERE NOTED. THESE MATTERS, WHICH ARE PART OF A WIDER CONCERN WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF COUNTRY PARKS AND THE PROTECTION OF OUR FOREST AREAS ARE CURRENTLY UNDER DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE HEUNG YEE KUK AND THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, + HE SAID.

HE ALSO DISCLOSED THAT NEGOTIATIONS FOR REMOVAL OF HOI PA VILLAGE WERE WELL IN HAND AND WOULD BE COMPLETED HOPEFULLY BETWEEN MID-1981 AND MID-1982. +THIS WILL IMPROVE VILLAGERS' LIVING CONDITIONS AND ALSO PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED SPACE FOR MODERN DEVELOPMENT IN THE CENTRE OF TSUEN WAN.+

MR HAYES SAID TIN HAU TEMPLE WOULD BE REPAIRED AND EXTENDED NEXT YEAR. HE EXPRESSED GRATITUDE FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT AND ADVICE OF THE RURAL COMMITTEE IN THIS WORK WHICH WOULD BE CARRIED OUT AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE.

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