XN000022-1981-09-30 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1981

CONCERNED CITIZENS WANTED

TWO MORE DISTRICT BOARDS WILL BE SET UP NEXT MONTH IN THE URBAN AREA -- ONE IN EASTERN AND THE OTHER IN SHAM SHUI PO, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HOME AFFAIRS, MR ALBERT LAM, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A SPEECH DELIVERED TO THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG ISLAND EAST, MR LAM SAID THE TWO NEW DISTRICT BOARDS WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THE TWO EXISTING ONES IN KWUN TONG AND WONG TAI SIN AND THAT BY MARCH 1982, ALL 10 URBAN DISTRICT BOARDS WOULD HAVE BEEN FORMED.

ON THE ACTUAL PROGRESS MADE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME, MR LAM SAID THAT BY NEXT MONTH, DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES WOULD HAVE BEEN SET UP IN ALL 10 URBAN DISTRICTS.

+OUR STRATEGY IS THAT WE SHOULD ALLOW A SIX-MONTH LEAD TIME BETWEEN THE FORMATION OF DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND ITS CORRESPONDING DISTRICT BOARD, SO THAT BY THE TIME A DISTRICT BOARD IS SET UP, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ON THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WILL HAVE ALREADY ESTABLISHED AN EFFECTIVE WORKING PROCEDURE AND GAINED EXPERIENCE WORKING TOGETHER, AND ARE THUS IN A POSITION TO TAKE PROMPT ACTION ADVISED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD,+ MR LAM SAID.

MR LAM ALSO REPORTED THAT UP TO YESTERDAY (SEPTEMBER 29), THERE WERE ALREADY 50 651 REGISTERED VOTERS FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS, AND 15 734 FOR THE URBAN AREAS.

REGISTRATION FORMS COULD BE OBTAINED FROM ALL CITY DISTRICT OFFICES, NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT OFFICES, POST OFFICES AND SOME BANKS. THE CURRENT REGISTRATION CLOSES ON OCTOBER 12, HE SAID.

+WE WANT PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE WELL-BEING OF THE IR FELLOW CITIZENS, WHO ARE PREPARED TO GIVE UP PART OF THE IR TIME TO SPEAK UP ON WAYS AND MEANS OF IMPROVING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THEIR DISTRICT, AND TO TELL THE AUTHORITIES WHAT IS NEEDED IN THEIR DISTRICT,+ MR LAM SAID.

+THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME WILL CREATE NEW CHANNELS OF PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS FOR CIVIC-MINDED PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO WORK FOR THEIR COMMUNITY, + HE ADDED.

NO HOLIDAY MAIL DELIVERY

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THERE WILL BE NO MAIL DELIVERY AND ALL POST OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 WHICH IS A GENERAL HOLIDAY, THE POSTMASTER GENERAL ANNOUNCED TODAY.

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