XN000022-1983-02-24 — Page 12

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1983

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+THEIR SUCCESS IS WITNESSED BY THE KEEN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY FOR THE EVENT AND THEIR INTEREST IN AND APPRECIATION OF THE ARTS WHICH THE FESTIVAL HELPS TO STIMULATE, HE SAID.

HE NOTED THAT THE YUEN LONG DISTRICT HAD ALWAYS BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

IT WAS THE FIRST NT DISTRICT TO RUN BALLET TRAINING COURSES, A CHILDREN'S CHOIR, A CANTONESE OPERA TROUPE AND A CHINESE ORCHESTRA.

THE 34-EVENT PROGRAMME, SPONSORED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD AT $400 000, WILL BE HELD AT THE LUT SAU HALL, YUEN LONG TOWN HALL AND A LOCAL SECONDARY SCHOOL.

ADMISSION TO MOST EVENTS IS FREE.

ALSO PRESENT AT TONIGHT'S CEREMONY WERE THE DISTRICT OFFICER, MR JAMES WILSON, AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CO-ORDINATING COMMITTÉE, MR MA NING-HEI.

DB MEMBERS LOOK OVER CLEARED BACKLANES

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ABOUT 20 MEMBERS OF THE KOWLOON CITY DISTRICT BOARD'S ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE TODAY (THURSDAY) TOURED EIGHT BACKLANES IN THE DISTRICT WHERE 72 ILLEGAL STRUCTURES HAD BEEN RECENTLY CLEARED.

THE AREA IS BOUNDED BY PAK TAI STREET ON THE EAST, MA TAU WAI ROAD AND MA TAU CHUNG ROAD ON THE WEST, AND SUNG WONG TOI ROAD ON THE NORTH.

THE CLEARANCES WERE THE FIRST STAGE OF A JOINT DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMME TO CURB UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS ILLEGAL STRUCTURES IN BACKLANES, ILLEGAL PARKING, WORK DEBRIS, PAVEMENT OBSTRUCTION, ILLEGAL HAWKING AND SANITARY NUISANCES.

DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED INCLUDE THE URBAN SERVICES, LANDS, LABOUR AND HOUSING DEPARTMENTS, POLICE AND THE DISTRICT OFFICE.

THE DISTRICT BOARD HAS ALLOCATED $100 000 FOR THIS PROGRAMME UNDER WHICH ALL BACKLANES IN THE DISTRICT HAVE BEEN ZONED INTO 15 PRIORITY AREAS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT WORK.

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