XN000022-1982-05-15 — Page 4

SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1982

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DRAMATIC CHANGE IN ROLE OF HK WOMEN

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THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN HONG KONG HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY IN THE LAST 20 YEARS PARTICULARLY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, ACCORDING TO THE SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES.

IN HIS SPEECH TO THE CHARTER NIGHT OF THE ZONTA CLUB OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AT THE HILLTOP COUNTRY CLUB IN TSUEN WAN THIS (SATURDAY) EVENING, HE SAID MANY GIRLS DID NOT EVEN ATTEND PRIMARY SCHOOL 20 YEARS AGO.

+NOW THERE IS EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR BOYS AND GIRLS TO RECEIVE SECONDARY EDUCATION.

+WOMEN COMPRISE 35 PER CENT OF OUR WORKFORCE AND WOMEN ARE TO BE FOUND IN ALL PROFESSIONS AND IN ALL RANKS OF THE GOVERNMENT.+

HE SAID THE WORLD OF MEN HAD LONG HAD ITS MASCULINE ORGANISATIONS, BUT A SIMILAR AND COMPLEMENTARY GROWTH AND STRENGTHENING OF WOMEN'S ORGANISATIONS WAS NEEDED AT ALL LEVELS.

+1 AM PARTICULARLY ENCOURAGED BY THE FACT THE PROFESSIONAL WOMEN OF ZONTA IN THE NEW TERRITORIES HAVE DECIDED AS THEIR FIRST OBJECTIVE TO ASSIST THE GROWTH OF THE YIN NGAI SOCIETIES AMONG THE HOUSEWIVES AND WORKING WOMEN OF OUR COMMUNITY.+

DESCRIBING THE FORMATION OF THE FIRST ZONTA CLUB IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AS A RESPONSE TO THE INCREASING URBANISATION OF THE N.T.+ MR AKERS-JONES SAID HE WAS SURE THAT WITHIN A SHORT WHILE OTHER BRANCHES OF ZONTA WOULD BE NEEDED AS THE NEW TOWNS GREW IN SIZE AND IMPORTANCE.

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CHAI WAN PUBLIC CARGO HANDLING AREA

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A PUBLIC CARGO HANDLING AREA WILL SOON BE CONSTRUCTED IN CHAI WAN TO COPE WITH THE INCREASED CARGO HANDLING ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA.

THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE OF THE ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS INVITING TENDERS FOR THE SURFACING WORK OF THE PUBLIC CARGO HANDLING AREA,

THIS WILL INVOLVE A SECTION OF ABOUT 500 METRES OF THE SEAFRONT AT THE EXISTING CARGO HANDLING BASIN IN CHAT WAN,

THE AIM IS TO ENSURE THAT THE SEA FRONTAGE IS EFFICIENTLY UTILISED AND THE CARGO HANDLING ACTIVITIES COULD BE PROPERLY CONTROLLED.

WORK WILL START IN JULY AND IS EXPECTED TO TAKE ABOUT 14 MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE SAID THE EXISTING CARGO HANDLING ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA WOULD BE MAINTAINED AS FAR AS POSSIBLE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD.

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