XN000022-1982-02-08 — Page 2

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1982

LAST DAY FOR NT DISTRICT BOARD NOMINATIONS

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A REMINDER THAT TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY FOR NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS WAS GIVEN BY NEW TERRITORIES REGIONAL SECRETARY, MR IAN MACPHERSON, TODAY (MONDAY).

MR MACPHERSON SAID NOMINATIONS AFTER 5 PM COULD NOT BE ACCEPTED AND URGED ANYONE THINKING OF STANDING AS A CANDIDATE TO +ACT QUICKLY+.

HE SAID 161 CANDIDATES HAD BEEN NOMINATED SO FAR, AND ALTHOUGH THIS FIGURE WAS HIGHLY SATISFACTORY, +WE WOULD LIKE TO FEEL THAT EVERYONE WHO HAS CONSIDERED STANDING FOR ELECTION HAS BEEN NOMINATED.

MR MACPHERSON SAID AS EXPECTED NOMINATIONS HAD STARTED SLOWLY, BUT THERE HAD BEEN A RUSH AS THE CLOSING DATE DREW CLOSER.

+WE EXPECTED A FINAL FLURRY BEFORE TOMORROW'S CLOSE,+ HE ADDED.

HE SAID A FULL LIST OF CANDIDATES WOULD BE PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE LATER THIS MONTH.

HE SAID THE MOST INTERESTING PHASE OF THE ELECTIONS, WHICH TAKE PLACE ON THURSDAY, MARCH 4, WOULD NOW BEGIN.

+CAMPAIGNING IS UNDERWAY AND WILL INTENSIFY AS MARCH

GETS NEARER, MR MACPHERSON SAID.

+ I THINK IT WILL BE AN EXCITING PERIOD+.

HE URGED ALL 200 000 REGISTERED VOTERS TO VOTE.

HE SAID TO MAKE VOTING AS CONVENIENT AS POSSIBLE, A TOTAL OF 125 POLLING STATIONS WOULD BE SET UP THROUGHOUT THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THEY WOULD OPEN AT 7 AM ON MARCH 4 AND NOT CLOSE UNTIL 10 PM.