XN000022-1981-02-26 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1981

+TO BOTH OF THESE I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY OWN CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SUCCESS OF THE HONG KONG BRANCH DURING THE 25 YEARS OF VERY ACTIVE LIFE AND MY SINCERE ADMIRATION FOR THOSE WHO HAVE WATCHED OVER AND LED IT DURING THESE YEARS.

+ THE BRANCH STARTED AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME, SO THAT IT WAS WELL ESTABLISHED AND ORGANISED FOR THE GREAT SURGE IN LEISURE AND SPORT IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. HOLIDAYS SEE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES STREAMING OUT OF THE CITY TO OUR MAGNIFICENT BEACHES AND HILLS. OUR SPORTS CENTRES, SWIMMING POOLS, COURTS AND PITCHES SEEM NEVER TO BE IDLE. THIS IS EXCELLENT. IT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR.

+BUT NONE KNOW BETTER THAN LIFE-SAVERS LIKE YOU, THAT WITHOUT GUIDANCE OR PROPER CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS, RECREATION CAN CAUSE DAMAGE OR DANGER.

+ IN THE HILLS HOLIDAY-MAKERS CAN CAUSE FIRE AND EROSION OR SPOIL WITH LITTER, AND FOR THE UNWARY OR ILL-EQUIPPED DANGER CAN LURK EVEN ON A PATH ON A HILLSIDE, IT DOES NOT TAKE MUCH LITTER OR BROKEN GLASS TO SPOIL THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACH.

+THESE THINGS CAN BE PREVENTED BY EDUCATION AND TRAINING, SELF-RESTRAINT, AND A MEASURE OF GUIDANCE AND CONTROL. HERE THE COUNTRYPARKS MANAGEMENT SERVICE AND URBAN AND NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES AND THE SPORTS AND RECREATION SERVICES ALL PLAY VALUABLE ROLES AS DOES OUTWARD BOUND..

+BUT OF ALL SPORTS IN HONG KONG SWIMMING IS THE MOST POPULAR AND MOST ACCESSIBLE, AND HERE TOO LIES ALMOST THE GREATEST DANGER FOR THE INEXPERIENCED OR THOUGHTLESS. AND THIS IS WHERE YOU DO SUCH MAGNIFICENT WORK. YOUR REGULAR SWIMMING AND LIFE-SAVING COURSES PREVENT MANY TRAGEDIES. YOU HAVE TRAINED SOME 5 000 LIFE-SAVING INSTRUCTORS OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS. YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED YOUR CONTINUING ENTERPRISE BY LAUNCHING A SPECIAL TRAINING COURSE IN CANOE LIFE-SAVING AND SUB-AQUA RESCUE. BUT NOTHING IS MORE ELOQUENT OF YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY THAN THE 13 000 LIVES YOU HAVE SAVED OVER THE LAST TWNETY-FIVE YEARS. THE DEBT OWED TO YOU IS ENORMOUS.

+WHAT I ASK YOU TO DO IS TO REDEDICATE YOURSELVES TO THIS WORK. RISING AFFLUENCE AND INCREASING LEISURE MAKES YOUR WORK MORE NOT LESS IMPORTANT AND THE CALLS ON YOUR SERVICE WILL GROW NOT DIMINISH. AS HONG KONG EMERGES FROM SLUMS AND POVERTY INTO EXPANDING ALLUENCES AND BETTER ORDERED PROSPERITY, IT IS WELL THAT WE SHOULD NOT LOSE THE VIRTUES SO WELL DEMONSTRATED IN OUR STRINGENT PAST. HIGH AMONGST THESE HAS PEEN THE CONTRIBUTION WHICH VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS MADE BY THE HONG KONG BRANCH OF THE ROYAL LIFE SAVING SOCIETY AND THE HONG KONG LIFE GUARD CLUB SHOULD CONTINUE AND GROW IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

+❘ THANK YOU FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY AND CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR SILVER JUBILEE AND WISH YOU CONTINUING SUCCESS.+

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