XN000022-1992-12-17 — Page 2

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1992

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GOVERNOR REACHES OUT TO PEOPLE

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TODAY (THURSDAY) REACHED OUT TO THE GRASSROOTS PEOPLE AND 3AW FOR HIMSELF THEIR PROBLEMS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE TERRITORY.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, MR PATTEN WAS GREETED DURING HIS VISIT BY AMUSED AND DELIGHTFUL PEDESTRIANS, SHOPKEEPERS AND HAWKERS.

AT

THE GOVERNOR STARTED OFF BY WALKING THROUGH A NARROW BACKLANE MARBLE ROAD IN NORTH POINT.

AND

ILLEGAL STRUCTURES, SOME DOMESTIC, WERE BUILT ON GAS MAINS FLANKED THE PASSAGEWAY, POSING CONSTANT FIRE HAZARD AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS.

HE

BUSINESS.

ALSO SAW HOW THE DRY-GOODS HAWKERS IN MARBLE ROAD DO THEIR

MR PATTEN THEN WENT TO KOWLOON CITY WHERE HE SAW A NUMBER OF STREET-SLEEPERS AND THEIR MAKE-SHIFT SHANTIES UNDER THE VARIOUS

FLYOVERS.

HE ALSO SAW SOME ILLEGAL STRUCTURES ATTACHED TO THE BUILDINGS IN THE AREA BOUNDED BY TO KWA WAN ROAD, MA TAU КОК ROAD, THE WATERFRONT AND THE GAS WORKS. THESE ENVIRONMENTAL WARTS ARE A THREAT TO BUILDING SAFETY.

THE GOVERNOR WAS THEN BRIEFED ON THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL "RESERVATION" OF METERED PARKING SPACES IN THE DISTRICT.

HE

WAS TOLD THAT METERED PARKING SPACES WERE BLOCKED BY ITEMS SUCH AS BASKETS AND GOODS RESERVED FOR SOME BUSINESSES IN THE LOCALITY,

HE ALSO SAW THE ILLEGAL HAWKING PROBLEM ALONG MA TAU KOK ROAD NGA TSIN LONG ROAD AND INSPECTED THE URBAN COUNCIL KOWLOON CITY MARKET COMPLEX.

AND

MR

PATTEN THEN WENT TO UN CHAU STREET IN SHAM SHUI PO ΤΟ SEE THE PROSTITUTION PROBLEM THERE.

AFTERWARDS, HE ARRIVED AT A "CAGE-HOME" (BEDSPACE APARTMENT) IN KWEILIN STREET WHERE HE WAS TOLD BY SOME OF THE 40 'CAGEMEN' THERE THEIR PROBLEMS.

MANSION

THE GOVERNOR CONCLUDED HIS VISIT BY TOURING CHUNG KING TO SEE OVER-CROWDED GUEST HOUSES AND PROBLEMS CAUSED BY POOR BUILDING MANAGEMENT.

THE MANSION HOUSES MORE THAN 150 GUESTHOUSES, A NUMBER OF CLUBS AND SHOPS.

TODAY'S TOUR IS ONE OF THE GOVERNOR'S REGULAR VISITS TO VARIOUS PARTS OF THE TERRITORY.

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