XN000022-1986-01-24 — Page 18

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1986

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THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE AT YUNG LONG WAS FIRST REPORTED BY THE HONG KONG ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. ITS PROBABLE IMPORTANCE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REVEALED IN THE COURSE OF WORK CONDUCTED BY THE GOVERNMENT-COMMISSIONED ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

THE SITE WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN LEFT UNDISTURBED FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND YEARS IS NOW BEING THREATENED BY LARGE-SCALE CONSTRUCTION WORKS IN THE AREA AND ITS MEDIUM AND LONG-TERM SECURITY IS IN DOUBT BECAUSE OF THE DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR THE LOCALITY.

BECAUSE OF THIS THREAT AND THE EXTREME VULNERABILITY TO DAMAGE OF THIS ANCIENT SITE, THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO COMMISSION THE EXCAVATION WHICH IS EXPECTED TO UNCOVER ABOUT 20 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL SITE.

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL TEAM CONSISTS OF MR YIP CHO-HONG, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY (ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS OFFICE) OF THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES BRANCH AND A GRADUATE OF THE INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, AND MISS TARYN NIXON AND MISS SARAH JANE WILCOCK, BOTH OF WHOM ARE GRADUATES OF THE INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY.

MR PEACOCK HIMSELF IS A PROFESSIONAL ARCHAEOLOGIST AND FORMER CURATOR OF THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY. HE WAS THE CONSULTANT ARCHAEOLOGIST WHO CONDUCTED THE GOVERNMENT'S ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL TEAM IS ASSISTED BY A DEDICATED GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE EXPERIENCED IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION IN HONG KONG AND ELSEWHERE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES BRANCH SAID EXCAVATION WORK WOULD CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL MORE WEEKS, AND ANYONE INTERESTED

IN TAKING PART ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS COULD CONTACT THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY (ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS OFFICE), TELEPHONE 3-7216283.

MORE NEW ROADS PROPOSED FOR TAI PO

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THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS PROPOSING THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW ROADS IN TAI PO TO PROVIDE VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO EXISTING AND PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS TO THE EAST OF KWONG FUK AND FU SHIN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.

THE WORKS INVOLVE CONSTRUCTING TWO DISTRIBUTOR ROADS TOTALLING ABOUT 1.8 KILOMETRES IN LENGTH, A ROAD BRIDGE, A PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLIST BRIDGE, FOUR PEDESTRIAN-CYCLIST SUBWAYS, A FOOTPATH AND CYCLETRACKS, A STORMWATER CULVERT AND ASSOCIATED STORMWATER DRAINAGE SYSTEMS.

/LAND FORMATION