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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4,

1980

BRITISH TRADE MINISTER HIGHLY IMPRESSED BY

SHA TIN NEW TOWN

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THE BRITISH TRADE MINISTER, MR CECIL PARK INSON WHO IS LEADING A HIGH-LEVEL TEXTILE MISSION TO HONG KONG, BROKE OFF FROM HIS HECTIC ROUND OF BUSINESS-LINKED TALKS AND VISITS THIS MORNING TO SEE ONE OF HONG KONG'S NEW TOWNS.

THE MINISTER, ACCOMPANIED BY OTHER MISSION MEMBERS, WAS FIRST BRIEFED BY SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, BEFORE TRAVELLING TO SHA TIN WHERE HE WAS MET BY THE DISTRICT OFFICER, DR PATRICK HASE.

FROM A VANTAGE POINT OVERLOOKING TA! WAI VALLEY, MR PARKINSON WAS TOLD THAT SHA TIN HAD ONLY 20 000 PEOPLE A FEW YEARS AGO AND THE POPULATION WAS NOW OVER 100 000.

ALL THE MAIN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WERE POINTED OUT TO HIM BEFORE HE WALKED THROUGH TAI WAI VILLAGE AND ITS MARKET AREA.

HE WAS THEN DRIVEN PAST LEK YUEN AND WO CHE ESTATES TO SUI WO COURT, THE MASSIVE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME DEVELOPMENT, WHERE DR HASE OUTLINED FURTHER DETAILS OF PLANS TO DEVELOP SHA TIN INTO A CITY OF 750 000 PEOPLE BY THE END OF THE DECADE.

AT THE END OF THE VISIT. MR PARKINSON SAID: I AM HIGHLY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT I HAVE SEEN. THE SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT IS AMAZING BY ANY STANDARDS.

HE SAID HE WAS PARTICULARLY KEEN TO SEE A NEW TOWN WHILE HE WAS HERE AS HE HAD BEEN CHAIRMAN OF THE CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION OF A NEW TOWN - HEMEL HEMPSTEAD - IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

+I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK AND SEE SHA TIN WHEN IT IS FULLY COMPLETED, HE TOLD DR HASE.

THE MISSION ARRIVED IN HONG KONG LAST SUNDAY AND LEAVES TOMORROW.

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