XN000022-1981-05-15 — Page 8

FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1981

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THE BOARD HEARD THAT THERE WERE MORE YOUNG FAMILIES IN TAI HING ESTATE AND THAT THE PROBLEM HAD NOT OCCURRED IN OTHER NEW ESTATES IN TUEN MUN.

MR CHAN YAT-SUN SAID THE SHORTAGE OF PLACES FOR PRIMARY 1 CHILDREN IN TAI HING ESTATE SHOULD BE TAKEN +AS A LESSON+ AND PLANS SHOULD BE CHANGED IN THE FUTURE.

MR TANG CHUN-SING OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SAID THERE WOULD BE NEW SCHOOLS CONSTRUCTED IN TUEN MUN BY 1982/83 AND PRIORITY FOR PLACES WOULD BE GIVEN TO CHILDREN OF THE DISTRICT.

HE SAID VILLAGE PRIMARY SCHOOLS WOULD BE REPLACED BY NEW, LARGE SCALE PRIMARY SCHOOLS WHICH WOULD BE MORE UP TO STANDARD.

THE BOARD SUGGESTED THAT MORE PRIMARY SCHOOL PLACES COULD BE PROVIDED IN EXISTING SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TAI HING ESTATE OR IN OTHER PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN THE TOWN IN ORDER TO SOLVE THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM.

THE BOARD ALSO DISCUSSED THE PROPOSAL FOR A BETTING CENTRE IN TAI HING ESTATE. BOARD MEMBERS SUPPORTED THE IDEA OF A CENTRE IN PRINCIPLE AFTER THE DIVISIONAL SUPERINTENDENT TUEN MUN, MR JIM MCDERMOTT, SAID THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT ILLEGAL GAMBLING IN TUEN MUN.

+THE CHOICE IS BETWEEN A LEGAL BETTING CENTRE AND ILLEGAL CENTRES,+ HE TOLD THE BOARD.

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+PERSONALLY, MUST SUPPORT THE LEGAL FORMS OF THIS.+

HE SAID LAST SUNDAY THERE WAS A VERY BIG GAMBLING CASE IN TAI HING ESTATE IN WHICH AN ILLEGAL BOOKMAKER AVERAGING $40 - $50 000 EACH RACE DAY WAS ARRESTED.

UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS MADE SEVERAL PROPOSALS ABOUT THE CENTRE, INCLUDING PREVENTING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM USING THE CENTRE AND DECORATING IT IN SUCH A WAY AS TO MAKE IT LESS CONSPICUOUS. IT WAS ALSO PROPOSED THAT PROCEEDS FROM BETTING AT THE CENTRE MIGHT BE USED TO DEVELOP RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN TUEN MUN.

ON THE LAW AND ORDER SITUATION IN THE NEW TOWN, MR MCDERMOTT SAID SUCCESSES CONTINUED AND SERIOUS CRIME WAS VERY LOW. HE SAID

INSTEAD OF TARGETTING TRIAD MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY, THE POLICE TARGETTED THE TYPE OF OPERATIONS WHICH WOULD MAKE MONEY FOR THE TRIADS, SUCH AS ILLEGAL GAMBLING AND PROTECTION RACKETS.

ON STREET NAMES FOR THE NEW TOWN, MEMBERS AGREED THAT IN FUTURE ALL MAJOR ROADS WOULD HAVE THE PREFIX +TUEN+ AND MINOR STREETS WOULD HAVE THE PREFIX +TSING+.

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