XN000022-1981-09-04 — Page 9

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1981

THESE PROVIDED A FOCUS BUT WERE BY NO MEANS THE ONLY OCCASION IN THE YEAR 'HEN THE ARTS COULD BE ENJOYED IN THE DISTRICTS.

THERE WAS NOW AN ARTS ASSOCIATION IN EACH DISTRICT,

MR CHUI SAID.

THEY AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS WERE BECOMING INCREASINGLY ACTIVE IN SPONSORING PERFORMANCES AND COURSES IN MUSIC, DANCE AND DRAMA.

IN YUEN LONG, FOR EXAMPLE, A SCHOOL OF BALLET WAS SET UP IN 1979- IN TSUEN WAN, TOO, THERE WERE DANCE CLASSES-

A DANCE COMPETITION HELD IN SHA TIN EARLIER THIS YEAR ATTRACTED 40 TEAMS FROM ALL OVER THE DISTRICT IN TAI PO AN INTER-SCHOOL DANCE COMPETITION HELD IN FEBRUARY MET WITH SUCH AN ENTHU. IASTIC RESPONSE THAT IT WAS LIKELY TO BE MADE AN ANNUAL EVENT MORE THAN 2 000 YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE ATTENDED DANCE ACTIVITIES IN TUEN MUN THIS YEAR AND N SAI KUNG AN ELEMENTARY BALLET CLASS SPONSORED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD WAS 50 PER CENT OVER-SUBSCRIBED.

THE MUSIC OFFICE LAST YEAR PRESENTED 85 CONCERTS IN ITS 'MUSIC FOR THE MILLIONS SERIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, MORE THAN HALF OF WHICH TOOK PLACE INSIDE SCHOOLS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CHILDREN.

SEVERAL DISTRICTS HAD CHILDREN'S CHOIRS, MR CHUI SAID.

EFFORTS WERE ALSO GOING INTO ORGANISING CONTINUING COMPETITIONS IN VARIOUS SPORTS.

EACH DISTRICT HAD A SPORTS ASSOCIATION AND THEY HAD GOT TOGETHER TO ARRANGE AN INTER-DISTRICT LEAGUE IN ALMOST EVERY POPULAR SPORT.

+PENDING COMPLETION OF THE PERMANENT SPORTS GROUNDS WHICH ARE PLANNED, EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO MAXIMISE THE USE OF THE FACILITIES WHICH ALREADY EXIST, MR CHUI SAID.

+THIS CAN BE DONE, FOR EXAMPLE, BY THE PROVISION OF IMPROVED LIGHTING OR BY OPENING SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS IN THE EVENINGS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.+

ONE GREAT BENEFIT OF LIVING IN A NEW TOWN WAS THE EASE OF ACCESS TO COUNTRY PARKS, HE SAID.

HIKING TRAILS AND NATURE TRAILS WERE BEING MARKED OUT THERE AND EFFORTS MADE TO PROVIDE CAMP SITES, OF WHICH THERE WERE NOW 24.

+OF COURSE, GOVERNMENT CANNOT DO EVERYTHING, MR CHUI SAID.

+ IT CAN PROVIDE A STIMULUS AND A GUIDE, BUT IN THE LONG

RUN THE CONTINUING EFFORTS MUST COME FROM THE PEOPLE.

+ONLY THEY CAN ENSURE THE STEADY, HEALTHY GROWTH OF

THE COMMUNITY+.

LOCAL LEADERS MUST COME FORWARD AND SHOULDER THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING THE NEW TOWNS INTO LIVING AND LIVELY ORGANISMS.

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