XN000022-1982-09-28 — Page 4

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1982

MRS THATCHER HAS TEA WITH HOUSING ESTATE RESIDENTS

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DURING HER VISIT TO SHEK WAI KOK HOUSING ESTATE THIS AFTERNOON, MRS THATCHER WAS +GENUINELY DELIGHTED+ TO LEARN FROM THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR DONALD LIAO THAT SINCE HER VISIT TO HONG KONG IN APRIL 1977 THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAD HOUSED 668 600 PEOPLE.

+THAT'S WELL OVER HALF-A-MILLION PEOPLE AND GETTING ON FOR THREE-QUARTERS-OF-A-MILLION IT'S SIMPLY AMAZING, SHE SAID.

MRS THATCHER SAID SHE WAS HIGHLY IMPRESSED TO FIND THAT 49 RENTAL AND HOME OWNERSHIP ESTATES HAD BEEN OPENED SINCE APRIL 1977 AND 161 800 FLATS BUILT AND OCCUPIED.

SHE TOLD MR LIAO; +WHEN I WAS LAST HERE, THESE NEW ESTATES WERE JUST IDEAS NOW THEY'RE THE HOMES OF SO MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TOWNS IS QUITE WONDERFUL.+

AT SHEK WAI KOK, MRS THATCHER ACCEPTED A CUP OF TEA FROM MRS NG SIU LAI-YING, THE WIFE OF FACTORY WORKER MR NG KAM-KAU, WHEN SHE VISITED THE IR 14TH FLOOR HOME.

SHE ASKED MRS NG HOW LONG THE FAMILY HAD LIVED THERE AND HOW THEY LIKED THE IR HOME.

MRS NG SAID THE FAMILY HAD MOVED INTO THE SEVEN-PERSON FLAT 23 MONTHS AGO AND PAID A MONTHLY RENT OF $325.

+WE PREVIOUSLY LIVED IN TAI WO HAU ESTATE AND MOVED HERE TO SHEK WAI KOK UNDER THE AUTHORITY'S RELIEF-OF-OVERCROWDING PROGRAMME,+ SHE SAID.

+THIS IS MUCH NICER AND WE ALL LIKE THE PLACE VERY MUCH. +

ON LEAVING MRS NG'S FLAT, THE PRIME MINISTER NOTICED WHAT WAS OBVIOUSLY A WELCOME SIGN IN CHINESE OUTSIDE THE ADJOINING FLAT OF MR WONG TO (57).

MR WONG AND HIS WIFE BECKONED HER INSIDE AND SOON SHE WAS HAVING A SECOND CUP OF TEA - - AND MEETING MR WONG'S 80-YEAR OLD MOTHER WHO WAS VISITING THE WONG'S AND THEIR FOUR CHILDREN.

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MR WONG ALSO OFFERED MRS THATCHER A MOON CAKE TO GO WITH THE TEA BUT SHE DECLINED WITH A SMILE, EXPLAINING SHE DID NOT HAVE THE TIME.