XN000022-1982-02-08 — Page 3

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1982

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REGIONAL SECRETARY ATTENDS TAI PO NEW YEAR PROGRAMME

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MR IAN

THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES MACPHERSON, AND MRS MACPHERSON, ATTENDED A LUNAR NEW YEAR RECEPTION THIS EVENING (MONDAY) AND ALSO OFFICIATED AT A CEREMONY MARKING THE CLOSING OF THE TAI PO NEW YEAR PROGRAMME.

DURING THE RECEPTION, HELD AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT, MR MACPHERSON SAID TAI PO HAD UNDERGONE CONSIDERABLE CHANGES SINCE HIS DAYS AS DEPUTY DISTRICT NEW TERRITORIES COMMISSIONER.

HE SAID A GREAT DEAL OF DEVELOPMENT WORK HAD TAKEN PLACE AND MANY MORE PEOPLE HAD MOVED INTO TAI PO, BUT DESPITE THESE CHANGES THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT OF THE TOWN HAD BEEN MAINTAINED.

+YOUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE WORK AND ACTIVITIES OF TAI PO DISTRICT BOARD IS A GOOD CASE IN POINT, MR MACPHERSON SAID.

+IN FACT, IN A SHORT WHILE, I SHALL WITNESS ONE OF THIS YEAR'S LUNAR NEW YEAR PROGRAMMES IN TAI PO, WHICH I UNDERSTAND HAS BEEN ANOTHER RESOUNDING SUCCESS.+

HE SAID LOOKING AHEAD THERE WOULD BE EVEN MORE DEVELOPMENT WORK AND CHANGES TAKING PLACE IN TAI PO.

+I HOPE YOU WILL ALL KEEP UP YOUR SPIRIT AND HELP TO MAKE TAI PO A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE IN, MR MACPHERSON SAID.

THE RECEPTION WAS ATTENDED BY OVER 300 GUESTS, INCLUDING LOCAL DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS, RURAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN, SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, LOCAL LEADERS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM LOCAL ORGANISATIONS AND BUSINESSES.

THE CLOSING CEREMONY AND NEW YEAR PROGRAMME VARIETY SHOW WAS HELD AT TAI PO SPORTSGROUND AND ATTENDED BY ABOUT 5 000 PEOPLE.

THE PROGRAMME STARTED WITH A PARADE OF 200 LANTERNS AND THE SWITCHING ON OF LIGHTS BY MR MACPHERSON.

OTHER PROGRAMME EVENTS INCLUDED A LION DANCE, MODERN AND CHINESE DANCES, POP SONG SINGING, ACROBATIC AND MAGIC SHOWS.

DURING THE PROGRAMME, MRS MACPHERSON PICKED OUT FIVE SPECIAL PRIZE WINNERS AT A LUCKY DRAW, EACH OF WHOM WILL RECEIVE EITHER A WATCH OR AN ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR. THERE WERE 30 OTHER LUCKY DRAW PRIZES,

MRS MACPHERSON WAS ALSO PRESENTED WITH A LANTERN WHICH WON FIRST PRIZE IN A DESIGN COMPETITION HELD LAST MONTH.

THE COMPETITION ATTRACTED A TOTAL OF 300 ENTRIES, ALL OF WHICH WERE ON DISPLAY DURING THIS EVENING'S FUNCTION.

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