XN000022-1981-02-22 — Page 5

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1981

GIRL GUIDE MEMBERSHIP TO TRIPLE IN FIVE YEARS ******

THE NUMBER OF GIRL GUIDES IN HONG KONG IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE MORE THAN THREEFOLD IN FIVE YEARS.

THIS WAS SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) BY SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, AT THE HONG KONG GIRL GUIDES +THINKING DAY+ CELEBRATION AT YUEN LONG STADIUM WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY 4 000 GUIDES.

HE SAID THE CELEBRATION BROUGHT TOGETHER GUIDES FROM ALL OVER HONG KONG WHERE GUIDING HAD BEEN ACTIVE FOR 64 YEARS.

IT WAS FITTING THAT THIS YEAR THE NEW TERRITORIES SHOULD HOST THE CELEBRATION FOR IT WAS HERE THAT THE MOVEMENT WAS EXPANDING MOST RAPIDLY.

HE SAID THE NEW TERRITORIES REGION HAD THE FASTEST GROWING MEMBERSHIP AND IT WAS HOPED THAT THIS WOULD INCREASE ENORMOUSLY DURING THE NEXT FEW YEARS AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE CAME TO LIVE IN THE NEW TOWNS.

+WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE MANY GENEROUS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WHO APPRECIATE THIS AND ARE READY AND WILLING TO HELP PROVIDE THE CENTRES WHERE YOUR ACTIVITIES CAN TAKE PLACE.

+TODAY HONG KONG HAS ABOUT 15 000 GUIDES, BUT AS THE NEW TOWNS GROW IN FIVE YEARS WE EXPECT YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO HAVE GROWN TO AT LEAST 50 000.

+EXCITING ACTIVITIES ARE IN STORE FOR YOU, HE TOLD THE

GUIDES.

THE TAI MEI TUK SEA CENTRE, WHERE SCOUTS AND GUIDES HAVE BEEN GRANTED ADJOINING SITES AND WHERE THEY WOULD SHARE A SLIPWAY, WOULD SOON BE READY AND THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO LEARN SAILING ́AND CANOEING THERE.

HE COMMENDED THIS EXAMPLE OF CO-OPERATION BETWEEN SCOUTS AND GUIDES AS A PROPER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A BROTHER AND SISTER MOVEMENT.

MR AKERS-JONES SAID THE YUEN LONG HOLIDAY HOUSE WAS BEING REDEVELOPED WHICH WOULD GIVE A NEW AND LARGER CENTRE FOR HOLIDAYS AND TRAINING WEEKENDS, AND BY THE END OF THE YEAR A NEW HEADQUARTERS BUILDING WOULD BE READY IN KOWLOON.

TODAY'S EVENT CELEBRATED THE BIRTHDAYS OF LORD AND LADY BADEN-POWELL, THE FOUNDERS OF SCOUTING AND GUIDING,

IT IS KNOWN AS +THINKING DAY+ AND MR AKERS-JONES ASKED THE GUIDES TO THINK TODAY OF WHAT IT MEANT TO BE A MEMBER OF +A HUGE WORLD-WIDE FAMILY AND A SISTER TO EVERY OTHER GUIDE+.

/A PRAYER