XN000022-1980-06-26 — Page 9

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THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1980

PROGRAMMES FOR THE HANDICAPPED ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE LIST. THE ANNUAL PHAB WALK, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS HELD IN MARCH THIS YEAR AT SOUTH BAY AND ATTRACTED MORE THAN 600 PARTICIPANTS, WHILE SOME 1 500 MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE PART IN ACTIVITIES ORGANISED JOINTLY BY RSS AND SPORTS ASSOCIATION FOR THE MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED, LEADING UP TO THE HONG KONG SPECIAL OLYMPICS+ IN NOVEMBER.

COURSES FOR SPORTS OFFICIALS ARE ALSO ARRANGED TO TRAIN PART- TIME STAFF REQUIRED TO CARRY OUT THE YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMES, MR WIGGHAM ADDED.

SINCE HONG KONG IS SO CROWDED AND GEOGRAPHICALLY RESTRICTED, HE SAID, THE RSS IS SEEKING TO TURN OTHERWISE UNPRODUCTIVE SPACE INTO USEFUL RECREATION AREAS.

THE CONVERSION OF THE UPPER FLOORS OF THE HUNG HOM CAR PARK, AND AN OLD WAREHOUSE IN TSUEN WAN INTO SPORTS AND RECREATION CENTRES, THE TENNIS COURTS ON THE ROOF-TOP AT LAI TAK TSUEN HOUSING ESTATE, AND AN EX-ARMY CAMP IN SAI KUNG INTO AN OUTDOOR RECREATION CENTRE ALL PROVED TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL AND ARE VERY WELL UTILISED.

PLANS ARE IN HAND TO CONVERT THE FORMER QUARTERS OF THE ENGINEERS WHO WORKED ON THE HIGH ISLAND WATER SCHEME INTO ANOTHER HOLIDAY CENTRE SIMILAR TO THE ONE IN SAI KUNG, HE SAID.

ON THE MUSIC SIDE, MR WIGGHAM NOTED THAT THE MUSIC OFFICE HAD THREE OBJECTIVES: TO RUN AN INSTRUMENTAL TRAINING SCHEME TO PROMOTE INTEREST IN MUSIC, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE YOUNG- AND TO ENCOURAGE AND ASSIST IN ORGANISING MUSIC ACTIVITIES IN ALL DISTRICTS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE NOW SOME 1 500 YOUNGSTERS UNDER TRAINING BY THE MUSIC OFFICE, FORMING AMONG THEM TWO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAS, FIVE CHINESE ORCHESTRAS AND FIVE SYMPHONIC BANDS. IN ADDITION THERE ARE SEVEN YOUTH AND CHILDREN CHOIRS.

BESIDES, THE MUSIC OFFICE HAS A SPECIAL CLASS FOR THREE HANDICAPPED TRAINEES, AND IS PROVIDING CHORAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE HANDICAPPED. ONE CHORAL SESSION FOR THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED AND ONE FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED.

+MUSIC FOR THE MILLIONS+ CONCERTS ARE HELD TO INTRODUCE MUSIC TO NEW AUDIENCES, AND SO FAR, OVER 800 SUCH CONCERTS HAVE BEEN HELD, HE SAID.

FURTHERMORE, INTERNATIONAL MUSIC EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES ARE ORGANISED TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR YOUNG MUSICIANS TO LEARN FROM OTHER OVERSEAS TALENTS. THIS YEAR, A SMALL GROUP OF YOUNG MUSICIANS AND DANCERS WILL TAKE PART IN THE ISRAEL ARTS FESTIVAL AND THE COMMONWEALTH FILM AND TELEVISION FESTIVAL IN CYPRUS.

MR WIGGHAM POINTED OUT THAT THROUGH THE JOCKEY CLUB MUSIC FUND, THE MUSIC OFFICE GIVES SPECIAL ENCOURAGEMENT AND ASSISTANCE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUTSTANDINGLY GIFTED YOUNGSTERS, MAINLY THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS OVERSEAS.

/HE SAID