XN000022-1982-03-25 — Page 23

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1982

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A DECREASE OF $219 MILLION (-31 PER CENT FROM $711 MILLION) BETWEEN 1980 AND 1981 WAS OBSERVED IN THE DOMESTIC EXPORTS OF MISCELLANEOUS MERCHANDISE ITEMS INCLUDING POSTAL PACKAGES, DEVELOPED FILM AND WORKS OF ART.

FURTHER DETAILS OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS STATISTICS FOR MERCHANDISE RECLASSIFIED BY INDUSTRIAL ORIGIN MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT (AT 3-7221914).

MP STUNNED BY RAPID NEW TOWN GROWTH

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A BRITISH MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, MR ARTHUR BOTTOMLEY, SAID TODAY THAT HE WAS STUNNED BY THE RAPID PACE OF DEVELOPMENTS IN SHA TIN NEW TOWN.

AFTER A TOUR OF THE WO CHE PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE AND A VISIT TO A FAMILY LIVING THERE, MR BOTTOMLEY, WHO IS IN HONG KONG FOR THE SECOND TIME. ADDED: +NEW ACCOMMODATION BEING PROVIDED IS OF A VERY GOOD STANDARD AND THE PEOPLE SEEM TO BE HAPPY AND CONTENT.+

MR BOTTOMLEY, TOGETHER WITH THREE OTHER MP'S

MR FREDERICK WILLEY, LORD ORAM AND LORD GISBOROUGH SPENT THIS (THURSDAY) MORNING IN SHA TIN SEEING VARIOUS DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

THEY ARE PART OF AN EIGHT-MAN INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION DELEGATION WHICH HAD JUST VISITED CHINA.

TODAY'S VISIT BEGAN WITH A BRIEFING BY THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR IAN MACPHERSON DIRECTOR OF NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT. MR JOHN DON- AND AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, MR CHAN PAK, AT THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION HEADQUARTERS.

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THE MP'S ALSO TOURED THE EXHIBITION HALL OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT BEFORE GOING TO A LOOKOUT POINT IN SHA TIN FOR A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE NEW TOWN.

THE DISTRICT OFFICER, DR PATRICK HASE, AND THE PROJECT MANAGER, MR KENNETH KWOK, SHOWED THEM VARIOUS PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND BEING PLANNED FOR THE NEW TOWN, WHICH WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE 750 000 PEOPLE BY THE END OF 1990'S.

THE VISIT ENDED AT ISLAND HOUSE WHERE THE MP'S WERE GUESTS OF A LUNCH GIVEN BY THE SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, AND MRS AKERS-JONES.

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