XN000022-1983-07-15 — Page 2

FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1983

HK'S RAILWAY COMPARES WITH BEST SIR EDWARD

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HONG KONG'S MODERN SUBURBAN RAILWAY STANDS COMPARISON WITH ANY OTHER IN THE WORLD, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE SAID TODAY.

SIR EDWARD WAS SPEAKING JUST BEFORE UNVEILING A PLAQUE TO COMMEMORATE THE COMPLETION OF THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE RAILWAY FROM KOWLOON TO LO wu.

SIR EDWARD SAID THAT WITH THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, IT PROVIDES A HIGH-QUALITY AND HIGH SPEED LINK BETWEEN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE URBAN AREA.

+OF EQUAL SIGNIFICANCE IS THE ROLE OF THE NEW RAILWAY IN IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA BY MAKING POSSIBLE A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE THROUGH MOVEMENT OF BOTH PASSENGER AND FREIGHT TRAFFIC, SIR EDWARD SAID.

SIR EDWARD SAID:

+1 AM VERY PLEASED TO OFFICIATE TODAY AT THE OPENING OF THE FINAL STAGE OF THE REBUILT AND ELECTRIFIED KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY.

+THE NEW RAILWAY HAS ALREADY BEGUN TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE SPEED, EASE AND QUALITY OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE NORTH-EASTERN NEW TERRITORIES AND THE URBAN AREAS. COMMISSIONING OF THE SECTION FROM TAI PO MARKET TO LO WU MARKS THE COMPLETION OF THE GREATER PART OF THE MODERNISATION PROGRAMME. FROM TOMORROW, THE ELECTRIFIED ERVICE WILL OPERATE ALONG ITS FULL LENGTH.

+THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN VER MUCH A CORPORATE EFFORT INVOLVING THE RAILWAY ITSELF, A NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS; CONSULTANTS; AND MANY CONTRACTORS. I WHOLLY ENDORSE YOUR REMARKS, MR CHAIRMAN, THAT GREAT CREDIT IS DUE TO EVE YONE WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS COMPLEX AND DEMANDING TASK, A TISK MADE MORE DIFFICULT BY THE NEED TO KEEP RAIL SERVICES IN OPERATION THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD OF RECONSTRUCTION, THEY MUST ALL FEEL TODAY A DEEP SENSE OF PRIDE IN THE PRODUCT OF THEIR EFFORTS.

+THE NEW CORPORATION WHICH CAME INTO BEING IN FEBRUARY

IS TAKING OVER A MODERN SUBURBAN RAILWAY WHICH STANDS COMPARISON WITH ANY IN THE WORLD. WITH THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, IT PROVIDES A HIGH QUALITY AND HIGH SPEED LINK BETWEEN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE URBAN AREA. OF EQUAL SIGNIFICANCE IS THE ROLE OF THE NEW RAILWAY IN IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA BY MAKING POSSIBLE A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE THROUGH MOVEMENT OF BOTH PASSENGER AND FREIGHT TRAFFIC.

+MR CHAIRMAN, THIS IS INDEED A MEMORABLE DAY FOR THE CORPORATION AND FOR ITS STAFF. | CONGRATULATE YOU ON WHAT YOU HAVE ACHIEVED AND I WISH YOU ALL EVERY SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE.

+ NOW HAVE MUCH PLEASURE IN UNVEILING THIS PLAQUE TO COMMEMORATE THE COMPLETION OF THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE RAILWAY FROM KOWLOON TO LO WU.+

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