XN000022-1985-02-16 — Page 3

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1935

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'AN IMPORTANT STEP AHEAD'

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THE FIRST TERRITORY-WIDE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS ON MARCH 7 WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM OF HONG KONG, PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, MR C.M. LEUNG SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

MR LEUNG SAID: +WHEN ELECTORS CAST THEIR VOTES ON MARCH 7, THEY WILL BE SELECTING THEIR REPRESENTATIVES WHO WILL SPEAK UP AND FIGHT FOR THEIR BENEFITS.

+THE ELECTIONS ARE ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT BECAUSE LATER THIS YEAR, ELECTED DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF SERVING THE PEOPLE AT A HIGHER LEVEL.

+THEY MAY BE ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHERE THEY CAN REFLECT PUBLIC OPINION AND ALSO TAKE PART IN GOVERNMENT POLICY MAKING.+

MR LEUNG WAS SPEAKING AT THE FINALS OF THE INTER-DISTRICT TELEMATCH GAMES ORGANISED BY RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG AND THE 18 DISTRICT OFFICES TO PROMOTE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION.

TEAMS FROM THE 18 DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY HAD BEEN COMPETING IN WEEKLY MATCHES FOR TOP HONOURS IN THE TOURNAMENT.

THREE TEAMS REACHED THE FINALS. AFTER TODAY'S CLOSE COMPETITION IN FOUR TELEMATCH GAMES, THE EASTERN DISTRICT TEAM EMERGED WINNER. SECOND CAME THE TSUEN WAN TEAM AND THIRD THE KWUN TONG TEAM.

SPEAKING ABOUT THE COMING ELECTIONS, MR LEUNG SAID THE AVERAGE AGE OF THE 501 CANDIDATES CONTESTING THE 237 SEATS IN THE ELECTIONS, WAS MUCH YOUNGER THAN THAT FOR THE 1982 ELECTIONS, AS 31 PER CENT OF THE CANDIDATES WERE AGED BETWEEN 31 AND 40.

+THIS SHOWS THAT MORE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN SERVING THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.

CANDIDATES REPRESENTED A CROSS-SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING MERCHANTS, EDUCATIONISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, PROFESSIONALS, FACTORY WORKERS, DRIVERS, HOUSEWIVES AND WHITE COLLAR WORKERS.

THE GRAND FINAL OF THE GAMES WILL BE BROADCAST ON TVB JADE AT 12 NOON ON MARCH 3.

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