XN000022-1981-01-07 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1981

+ANOTHER OBVIOUS FORM OF PRACTICAL ENCOURAGEMENT IS FINANCIAL. I HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED GOVERNMENT'S PROMOTION OF SPORTS VOTE, FUNDS FROM WHICH ARE USED TO HELP LOCAL TEAMS PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL EVENTS. IN ADDITION, A NUMBER OF GOVERNING BODIES OF SPORT RECEIVE FUNDS TO EMPLOY A FULL-TIME ASSISTANT AND TO RENT OFFICE ACCOMMODATION, HE SAID.

HE SAID THIS SCHEME WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1976 AND HAD RECENTLY BEEN EXTENDED, ON THE COUNCIL'S ADVICE, TO INCLUDE 26 SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS, WHICH WERE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING INTO THE OFFICE BLOCK OF THE QUEEN ELIZABETH STADIUM, TOGETHER WITH THE AMATEUR SPORTS FEDERATION AND OLYMPIC COMMITTEE OF HONG KONG.

APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR, ROYAL OBSERVATORY

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THE DIRECTOR OF ROYAL OBSERVATORY, MR G.J. BELL, WILL BE RETIRING FROM HIS PRESENT POST ON JANUARY 17, 1981.

HE WILL BE SUCCEEDED BY MR J.E. PEACOCK, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ROYAL OBSERVATORY, WHOSE PROMOTION HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS.

MR PEACOCK IS AGED 53. HE JOINED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN APRIL 1950 AS A SCIENTIFIC OFFICER. HE WAS PROMOTED TO SENIOR SCIENTIFIC OFFICER IN JULY 1963, AND TO HIS PRESENT RANK OF DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ROYAL OBSERVATORY IN AUGUST 1965. HE HAS ACTED AS DIRECTOR ON MANY OCCASIONS.

MR PEACOCK WAS APPOINTED AN OFFICIAL JUSTICE OF THE PEACE IN FEBRUARY 1968.

SHA TIN TOWN CENTRE SITE GRANTED TO DEVELOPER

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THE CONDITIONS OF GRANT FOR A SITE ON WHICH A MASSIVE COMMERCIAL COMPLEX IS TO BE BUILT IN WHAT WILL BE THE CENTRE OF SHA TIN NEW TOWN WERE SIGNED TODAY.

SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SIGNED FOR THE GOVERNMENT, WHILE MR T.Š. KWOK, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, SIGNED FOR SUN HUNG KAI PROPERTIES, WHO WILL BUILD THE COMPLEX.

THE SITE, SITUATED BETWEEN THE RAILWAY STATION AND SHING MUN RIVER, MEASURES 26 230 SQUARE METRES. IT WAS DISPOSED OF THROUGH A LETTER B TENDER IN SEPTEMBER.

DEVELOPMENT OF