XN000022-1980-11-15 — Page 5

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1980

HK-USA TEXTILE TALKS ADJOURNED

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THE COMMISSIONER OF TRADE, MR PETER TSAQ ANNOUNCED TODAY (SATURDAY) THAT DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE UNITED STATES ON TEXTILES, WHICH COMMENCED ON NOVEMBER 13, HAVE BEEN ADJOURNED WITHOUT REACHING ANY CONCLUSION,

NO DATE HAS YET BEEN FIXED FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF CONSULTATIONS.

+BOTH SIDES HAVE HAD A FRANK EXCHANGE OF VIEWS CONCERNING ASPECTS OF THE BILATERAL AGREEMENT, WHICH ARE HIGHLY COMPLEX. THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THE TEXTILE AND APPAREL INDUSTRIES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE ALSO REVIEWED. HOWEVER, THE FINDINGS WERE BOTH SKETCHY AND TENTATIVE, AND BOTH SIDES AGREED TO TAKE TIME TO REFLECT, SAID MR TSAO.

THE US DELEGATION WAS LED BY AMBASSADOR RESTER WEBB.

SIR ROBERT HO TUNG CHARITABLE FUND

1980 ALLOCATION EXERCISE

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A TOTAL OF 93 CHARITABLE ORGANISATIONS RECENTLY BENEFITTED TO THE TUNE OF $2.8 MILLION FROM THE SIR ROBERT HO TUNG CHARITABLE FUND - AN EIGHT-FOLD INCREASE SINCE IT WAS SET UP IN 1960.

THIS WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY (SATURDAY) BY MR MICHAEL LEUNG, DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ALLOCATION COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADVISING THE GOVERNOR ON THE ALLOCATION OF THE FUNDS AVAILABLE.

THE SIR ROBERT HO TUNG CHARITABLE FUND IS ONE OF THE LARGEST CHARITABLE TRUSTS IN HONG KONG. IT WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE LATE SIR ROBERT HO TUNG BY A BEQUEST MADE ON HIS DEATH IN 1956 AND THE FUND IS ADMINISTERED BY THE HONG KONG AND SHANGHAI BANK, HONG KONG (TRUSTEE) LIMITED,

MR LEUNG SAID THAT MAJOR GRANTS FROM THE FUND INCLUDED $595 500 TO THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS, THE BULK OF WHICH WAS TO PURCHASE AN ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSIS SYSTEM FOR KWONG WAH HOSPITAL. THE ST JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION AND BRIGADE WAS GRANTED $347 100 TO FIT OUT TWO TRAINING CENTRES, PURCHASE NEW OFFICE, TRAINING AND DENTAL EQUIPMENT AND REPLACE OLD ONES TO CATER FOR AN EXPANSION OF SERVICE.

ANOTHER $264 330 WAS GRANTED TO PROVIDE MILK FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IN 45 SPECIAL SCHOOLS AND TO ALLOW THEM TO GO ON OUTINGS AND EDUCATIONAL VISITS.

THE HONG KONG RED CROSS HAD BEEN GIVEN $157 000 TO PROMOTE ITS DONOR RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN AND TO PURCHASE VARIOUS SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR ITS SCHOOLS.

THERE WAS