XN000022-1986-04-12 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 1986

HE THEN TRAVELLED BY CAR TO THE PAK SHA O YOUTH HOSTEL WHERE HE WAS RECEIVED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG YOUTH HOSTELS

HE WAS ASSOCIATION, MR JOHN MCLEAN, AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. BRIEFED ON THE ASSOCIATION'S WORK AND THEN INSPECTED THE PREMISES, WHICH HAVE BEEN RENOVATED.

NEXT, SIR EDWARD VISITED THE REGIONAL COUNCIL'S LADY MACLEHOSE HOLIDAY VILLAGE WHERE HE WAS GREETED BY THE COUNCIL'S CHIEF LEISURE MANAGER (RECREATION, SPORTS AND AMENITIES), MR STANLEY LEE.

MR STANLEY LEE. HE WAS BRIEFED ON THE HISTORY OF THE BUNGALOW-TYPE UNITS WHICH WERE TRANSFORMED FROM DORMITORIES USED BY DEVELOPMENT STAFF DURING BUILDING OF THE PLOVER COVE RESERVOIR.

FROM THERE. SIR EDWARD WENT TO THE PO LEUNG KUK HOLIDAY CAMP AT PAK TAM CHUNG WHERE HE WAS RECEIVED BY THE KUK CHAIRMAN, MRS LISA CHEE, AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHO SHOWED HIM OVER CAMP'S FACILITIES.

PRINCESS AT BEATING THE RETREAT CEREMONY

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THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE BANDS AND WOMEN FAN DANCERS, WHO MADE THEIR MARK AT THE RENOWNED EDINBURGH TATTOO IN SCOTLAND LAST AUGUST, ASSEMBLED THIS (SATURDAY) EVENING FOR ANOTHER COLOURFUL PERFORMANCE, THIS TIME IN THE PRESENCE OF THEIR HONORARY COMMANDANT GENERAL, HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS ALEXANDRA. THE CEREMONY TOOK PLACE AT THE POLICE TRAINING SCHOOL IN ABERDEEN.

FOR THE SPECTACULAR CENTURIES-OLD BEATING THE RETREAT PERFORMANCE, PRODUCED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC, MR COLIN WOOD, THE BANDS WERE ALSO JOINED BY SQUADS OF RECRUITS WHOSE CLOCK-WORK PRECISION IN SILENT DRILL ROUTINES DREW ROUNDS OF WELL-DESERVED SPONTANEOUS APPLAUSE FROM THE ROYAL VISITOR AND INVITED GUESTS.

PRINCESS ALEXANDRA WAS LATER GUEST OF HONOUR AT A MESS DINNER. IN A SPEECH OF WELCOME. THE COMMANDANT OF THE POLICE TRAINING SCHOOL, MR TONY MULLINS, SAID THAT IT WAS MOST FITTING THAT HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, AS HONORARY COMMANDANT GENERAL OF THE FORCE, SHOULD BE THE FIRST ROYAL VISITOR TO DINE IN THE MESS SINCE THE BUILDING WAS OPENED IN THE 1960S.

SPEAKING OF THE SURROUNDINGS IN WHICH THEY DINED, MR MULLINS SAID THAT THEY WERE A FAR CRY FROM THE DAYS WHEN ONLY A CONVERTED RICE GODOWN WAS PROVIDED, WITH NO CEILING, POOR LIGHTING AND LIMITED FURNISHINGS.

THIS HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A SPACIOUS AIR-CONDITIONED MESS. LIKEWISE, THE POLICE TRAINING PROGRAMMES HAVE BEEN MODERNISED TO KEEP PACE WITH THE INCREASED SOPHISTICATION OF SOCIETY WHICH MAKES FVER INCREASING DEMANDS ON POLICE PROFESSIONALISM.

/+BUT LIFE