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1 = + +,- +,-./ +,-./ +,-./ +,-. +,-. +,- +,-./ +,-./ +,-./ +,-./ +,-./ + + +,-. +,-. +, +,-./ +,-. +,- +,-./01234 Ruined by two fires, Shek Wu Hui was rebuilt in 1964 NRP

2 Chapter 2 Section 2 North District +,-./012 CLP s power supply to the North District passes through the Beacon Hill Tunnel at Kowloon Tong The first regions in the North District to receive electricity supply were Fanling and Sheung Shui. Since 1931 CLP had supplied electricity to these two regions through the Beacon Hill Tunnel. Mr. Liu Ching Leung, JP, reviews the story of the developments in Sheung Shui. When the electricity supply was extended in the region in the 1940s and 1950s, it was not so popular. Later, the government s commencement of proper city planning and the emergence of industries made Sheung Shui a prosperous place. The government built the Plover Cove Reservoir in the 1960s and many water sources were reduced. Agriculture was thus greatly affected, while industrial development was improved. The industrial area expanded from On Lok Chuen in Fanling to Sheung Shui Wai. City planning restricted the height of factories, which could not be built higher than rural buildings. Hence the factories could only be three-storeys. Industrial investments were mainly from outside investors. The land was sold through auctions. Since the time of the construction of the reservoir, agriculture was greatly affected. Men in the villages started to go to work abroad to Britain, Holland, etc.. Industrial production centred mainly on family handmade goods and light industries. Heavy industries were not welcome because they usually caused pollution. Early industrial products included wig, leather, plastics and electronics factories. However, in the early days the electricity supply was not stable, and electricity breakdowns often occurred. The most serious case could be a breakdown for one or two days. Both industrialists and residents complained about this. Later, CLP started to lay underground cables, which made the electricity supply more secure and after this the supply became stable. NRQ

3 +,- +,-. +,-. +,-./0 +,-. +,-. +,-./ +,-./ +,-. +,-. +,-. +,- +,-. +,- The old street at Shek Wu Market, , + +, +,- +, +,- NRR

4 Though there was electricity supply, industrial development in the North District was not smooth. Mr. Leung Kin Man of the North District Association of Factories remembers the conditions of his purchase in 1971 of a piece of land in Kwan Ti, Fanling. Not until could he build a factory on the land. At first business was in a critical situation, transportation was very inconvenient and there was no proper water supply. The supply of electricity was limited to lighting and was not sufficient for operating big machines. In those days if they wanted to get a larger amount of electricity, they had to use the excuse of needing to use electric pumps for watering the fields. Section 2 Chapter 2 It was very common to experience unstable electricity supply in the 1950s and 1960s. Mr. Cheung Kuen of Shek Wu Commerce Association remembers that Shek Wu Market received electricity as early as There was a branch of Hong Kong Shanghai Bank in the Market. People went there to pay their electricity tariffs. At that time CLP s equipment was not so advanced and disruptions occurred often. When this happened, people would use the telephone to inform CLP. The Company also sent staff to inspect every region and reported as soon as possible when a breakdown occurred. +,-./ 012 Electric fans produced in Hong Kong were one of the most important exports in the 1970s NRS

5 +,- +,-./ +,-./ +,-. +,-./ +,-./ +,-. +,-./ +,-./0 +,-. +,-./ +,-. +, +,-. +,-./0123 Luen Wo Hui, established in 1951, still preserves some of its old street stalls NRT

6 In the 1950s, the electricity supply to Fanling was still relatively underdeveloped. Mr. Chan Hon Lam of Luen Wo Market in Fanling recalls how in the early 1950s, due to insufficient supply, people experienced difficulty in applying for electricity. Even large villas were in the same position. Before the early 1960s, people in Fanling still used kerosene as fuel. Section 2 Chapter 2 There were many reasons why people continued to use kerosene. One was related to the high price of electricity. Mr. Tam Kwong of Luen Wo Commerce Association explains: When the Luen Wo Market was established the shops and stalls started to use electricity, but the residences had to wait until the 1960s for their supply, thus forming a vacuum period. Another reason was that the people in Fanling were still poor and could not afford the high electricity charge. They used wood or kerosene instead. Even the few people who used electricity would just use small 20W bulbs. A third reason for the continuing use of kerosene was that whenever there was a thunderstorm, the electricity supply could be disrupted and the repair work often required two to three days. During this period people could only use kerosene. +, CLP engineers performing emergency repairs for villages NRU

7 +,-. +,--. +,-./ +,- +,-./ Ap Chau, a remote island in the North District, received a power supply in ,-./ +,-. +,-. +,-. +,- +,-. +,-./ +,-. +,-./ +,-. +,-./ +,-. +,-. +,-./ +,-./ ++, +,-./ +,- ===== NRV

8 Typical family in the 1970s, meals can be left untouched, but television is a must A sufficient electricity supply brought great changes to the villages in the New Territories. In the terms of production, the villagers were mainly farmers in the 1950s; with the coming of electricity they started the business of forage production. When full electrification was achieved, machines greatly speeded up the production rate, so that every day they could produce over a thousand tons of forage. With the development of information and television, people s lives also changed. Mr. Lee Kwok Fung of Fanling Rural Committee remembers in the past when there was no electricity, there were few sources of entertainment. People usually gathered in open places to listen to storytellers, e.g. stories of martial arts or fiction on air. Later the village got electricity, but the villagers would rather use electricity for illumination than other usages. In 1967 Mr. Lee used an instalment plan of 20 months to buy a West German 21-inch black and white television set. He then became the first to have a television in his village Ko Po Tsuen. Mr. Lau Shui Ching of Tong Hang Tsuen also remembers in the past it was difficult to obtain an electricity supply, but later on the situation was much improved. Ms. Au Yeung Fung Jan of Shung Him Tong Village also had a similar experience. Her father, the chief of the village, was the first to install a television set and refrigerator. This attracted villagers to come and watch television. They said, Meals can be left untouched, but watching television is a must At first the villagers had many misunderstandings about electrical appliances. Some even thought that the people in the television shows would really walk out of the television set; and some thought that the refrigerator could be used as an air-conditioner. However, people later had a great admiration for electricity. They said, Money does not matter much, but it really matters when there is no electricity Section 2 Chapter 2 NSM