XN000022-1984-12-16 — Page 9

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1984

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+THE HALL WITH ITS NOSTALGIC ATMOSPHERE WILL BE AN EXCELLENT VENUE FOR EXHIBITIONS OF ANTIQUES, MR TSANG SAID.

THE EASTERN AND WESTERN PARTS OF THE VILLAGE ARE TO HOUSE THE PERMANENT COLLECTION OF THE MUSEUM, ILLUSTRATING DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF LIFE AND CULTURE OF A RURAL VILLAGE.

+WE ARE ALSO CONSIDERING RENTING SOME OF THE ROOMS TO CHINESE TRADITIONAL CRAFTSMEN SO THEY MAY DEMONSTRATE VARIOUS TYPES OF HANDICRAFT ONCE PREVALENT IN THIS VILLAGE,+ HE SAID.

SHEUNG YIU IN SAI KUNG IS THE FIRST HAKKA VILLAGE TO HAVE BEEN TURNED INTO A MUSEUM. THIS MUCH SMALLER VILLAGE ATTRACTS OVER FIVE THOUSAND VISITORS A MONTH.

AS SAM TUNG UK OFFERS MORE HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS AND IS SITUATED NEAR AN MTR STATION, MR TSANG WAS CONFIDENT IT WOULD BE AN EVEN STRONGER DRAWING CARD.

PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC HOUSES IS A FORMIDABLE SPECIALIST TASK, REQUIRING THOROUGH RESEARCH INTO THEIR SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDS.

+THEN THERE IS THE PROBLEM OF GETTING MATCHABLE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS. FOR EXAMPLE, GREEN TILES FOR ROOFTOPS ARE NOT PRODUCED IN HONG KONG OR CHINA ANYMORE. WE HAVE TO FIND THE NEXT BEST MATERIALS FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ROOFTOP FOR SAM TUNG UK.

+COLLECTING EXHIBITS IS A TIME-CONSUMING JOB. WE HAVE TO MAKE DOOR-TO-DOOR VISITS TO GATHER INFORMATION AND ASK FOR DONATION OF OLD FURNITURE, FARMING TOOLS, HOUSEHOLD UTENSILS AND CLOTHES WHICH ARE GETTING RARER.

+WE HOPE RESIDENTS IN TSUEN WAN WILL COME FORWARD AND DONATE THESE OLD ARTICLES TO ENRICH THE COLLECTION OF THE SAM TUNG UK MUSEUM, HE SAID.

FUNDS TO IMPROVE FACILITIES

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THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT BOARD WILL SPEND $360 000 ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS TO PROVIDE MORE FACILITIES AND BETTER SERVICES TO THE LOCAL RESIDENTS.

THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A JOGGING TRACK AND THREE SITTING-OUT AREAS, AND THE INSTALLATION OF GROUP LETTER BOXES FOR RESIDENTS OF SAU ON VILLAGE AT SAU MAU PING ROAD.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD'S ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE, MR CHEUNG SHEK-FU, SAID PLANS TO DEVELOP A HILLSIDE BEHIND SHUN LEE ESTATE INTO A JOGGING TRACK AND A SITTING-OUT AREA WERE INITIATED BY THE LOCAL AREA COMMITTEE.

/+TIMBER RAILINGS,