XN000022-1982-05-26 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1982

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LADY YOUDE WAS LATER BRIEFED BY THE MONG KOK CITY DISTRICT OFFICER, MR K.C. LAU,

FOLLOWING A 30-MINUTE STAY AT THE DISTRICT BOARD MEETING. SIR EDWARD SAID, JUST BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE: +I HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED AND ENCOURAGED TO SEE THE DISTRICT BOARD IN ACTION AND HEAR THE HIGH QUALITY OF DEBATE.

+ I AM SURE THE DEBATE WILL BE VALUABLE IN ASSISTING THE BOARD TO COME TO A BETTER DECISION.+

THE PARTY THEN PROCEEDED TO THE JUNCTION OF SOY STREET AND PORTLAND STREET WHERE SIR EDWARD HAD A LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC PROBLEM, WHICH HAD BEEN AGGRAVATED BY THE PRESENCE OF SEVERAL COOKED-FOOD STALLS.

HERE, THE GOVERNOR WAS BRIEFED ON PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT MEASURES WHICH INCLUDED THE REGULATION OF PUBLIC LIGHT BUS ACTIVITIES AND THE MOVING OF THE COOKED-FOOD STALLS TO A NEARBY SITE.

SIR EDWARD AND LADY YOUDE, THEN CROSSED NATHAN ROAD TO TUNG CHOI STREET, WHERE THEY WERE GREETED BY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.

THE PARTY WALKED THROUGH THE CROWD IN THE HAWKER PERMITTED PLACE ON TUNG CHOI STREET WHICH HAD BEEN DECORATED WITH WELCOME BANNERS. BOTH SIR EDWARD AND LADY YOUDE PAUSED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO SHAKE HANDS WITH THE PEOPLE AND TO SPEAK TO HAWKERS ABOUT THEIR BUSINESSES.

AT THE END OF THE TOUR, THE GOVERNOR COMMENTED: I HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY MOVED BY THE WARM WELCOME I HAD TODAY. A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME OUT TO WELCOME ME AND THIS HAS GIVEN ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT LIFE IS LIKE IN MONG KOK.+

QUESTIONED ABOUT THE DISTRICT BOARD MEETING, HE SAID +1 FOUND IT VERY ENCOURAGING.

+THERE WAS A VALUABLE EXCHANGE BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES ON THE BOARD AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THERE, AND I'M SURE THEY WILL COME TO A BETTER DECISION AS A RESULT OF THIS.

+IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO SEE IT IN ACTION.

I THINK THIS IS

A VERY IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT FOR HONG KONG. CERTAINLY TODAY IS A VERY ENCOURAGING DAY.+

THE PARTY THEN LEFT THE HAWKER PERMITTED PLACE FOR THE JORDAN STATION AND TOOK AN MTR TRAIN ACROSS THE HARBOUR, ALIGHTING AT ADMIRALTY STATION.

DURING THE TRIP. THE GOVERNOR SPOKE TO A NUMBER OF PASSENGERS, INCLUDING ONE IN PUTONGHUA.

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