XN000022-1987-05-07 — Page 2

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 1987

STUDY TO TACKLE AIRPORT NOISE PROBLEM BEING CONDUCTED *****

THE GOVERNMENT IS CONDUCTING A STUDY ON HOW TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF NOISE FROM THE AIRPORT, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE END OF HIS SECOND DISTRICT VISIT, TO KWUN TONG, SIR DAVID SAID PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT WERE VERY CONCERNED WITH THE NOISE FROM THE AIRPORT AND THE NOISE OF AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING.

+THERE IS A STUDY GOING ON AT THE MOMENT BY THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITIES ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE DONE TO DEAL WITH THAT PROBLEM,+ HE SAID.

ASKED IF THE AIRPORT SHOULD BE MOVED AWAY FROM THE DENSELY- POPULATED DISTRICT, SIR DAVID SAID: +YOU ALWAYS FEEL DANGEROUS AS YOU FLY INTO KAI TAK, SO LOW OVER TOWN, BUT IT HAS ACTUALLY HISTORICALLY BEEN A VERY SAFE AIRPORT.

ON WHETHER THE AIRPORT SHOULD BE MOVED TO ANOTHER LOCATION, SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE TO PICK UP AN AIRPORT AND MOVE IT+.

+THERE IS OF COURSE THOUGHT BEING GIVEN IN THE LONGER TERM FUTURE TO WHETHER OR NOT HONG KONG SHOULD HAVE A NEW AIRPORT DESIGNED FOR INCREASED TRAFFIC IN 1990'S AND LATER, BUT THAT IS, I THINK, A LONGER TERM PROJECT, HE SAID.

+FOR THE MOMENT, THERE IS STILL ROOM FOR DEVELOPMENT IN KAI TAK ITSELF, SIR DAVİD ADDED.

DESCRIBING HIS VISIT TO KWUN TONG AS INTERESTING, SIR DAVID SAID THE IMPRESSION THAT HE CAME AWAY WITH WAS ONE OF CONTRAST AND ONE OF CHANGE.

BY CONTRAST, HE MEANT THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE OLD AREAS AND THE OLD RESETTLEMENT BLOCKS AND THE VERY NEW ONES AND THE TREMENDOUS IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF HOUSING.

+AND CHANGE, LIKE THE ENORMOUS CHANGE TAKING PLACE THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING, AN IMMENSE PROJECT, AND ALL THE ROAD WORKS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AND ALL THE SCHEMES GOING AHEAD FOR NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA, SIR DAVID SAID.

+AND ONE THIRD IMPRESSION TO SHARE IS OF A COMMUNITY WHICH IS DETERMINED TO TRY TO HELP ITSELF,+ HE ADDED.

SIR DAVID SAID HE WAS TOLD THE UNITED CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL HAD A DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AND A LARGE PART OF THE MONEY FOR THAT HAD COME FROM THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT ITSELF.

/+AND THAT ...........