The Government gazetted the nomination period for the Rural By-election today (August 24). Seven Rural Representative vacancies will be open for nominations from August 30 to September 12.

     The by-election will return one Resident Representative for each of the two Existing Villages (Mok Ka, and Kwun Yam Shan and Kong Pui). The by-election will also return one Indigenous Inhabitant Representative for each of the four Indigenous Villages (Tam Shui Hang, Ho Chung, Fan Tin San Yi Cho and Tai Wai), and one Composite Indigenous Village (Wong Ka Wai and Lung Tseng Tau).
      
     To be eligible for a Resident Representative By-election, a candidate must be a resident of the Existing Village and must have been a resident of the Village for the six years immediately preceding the nomination. His or her principal residential address must be in the Village and "principal residential address" means the address of the dwelling place at which the candidate resides and which constitutes his or her sole or main home. The candidate must also be a registered elector of the Village.
      
     For an Indigenous Inhabitant Representative By-election, a candidate must be an indigenous inhabitant as well as a registered elector of the Indigenous Village or the Composite Indigenous Village and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong.
      
     All candidates of both categories must be permanent Hong Kong residents aged 21 or above and each candidate must be nominated by at least five registered electors from his or her Village. Each elector can nominate only one candidate. No one can stand as a candidate in more than one Village.
      
     Nomination forms are available at the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres in the New Territories, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) and the Rural Representative Election website (www.had.gov.hk/rre). Nomination forms must be submitted in person to the Returning Officer of the respective Village by 5pm on September 12.
      
     A spokesman for the HAD said that if there is more than one validly nominated candidate for the same Existing Village, Indigenous Village or Composite Indigenous Village, a poll would be held for that Village on October 7 (Sunday). Eligible electors will receive a polling notice which specifies the date, time and place of the poll.
      
     For enquiries, please call 2152 1521.

     The Government proposes to build a single storey covered footbridge to connect the proposed development at Tsuen Wan Town Lot No. 393 with the elevated walkway at the junction of Ma Tau Pa Road and Yeung Uk Road.
 
     The suggested works gazetted today (August 24) are set out in the Annex. The plan and scheme of the works are available for public inspection at the following government offices during office hours:

Central and Western Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, Harbour Building,
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong

Tsuen Wan Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
1/F, Tsuen Wan Multi-storey Carpark Building,
174-208 Castle Peak Road,
Tsuen Wan, New Territories

District Lands Office, Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing,
10/F, Tsuen Wan Multi-storey Carpark Building,
174-208 Castle Peak Road,
Tsuen Wan, New Territories

     The gazette notice, scheme, plan and location plan will be available at www.thb.gov.hk/eng/psp/publications/transport/gazette/gazette.htm.

     Any person who wishes to object to the works or the use, or both, is required to address to the Secretary for Transport and Housing an objection in writing, which can be submitted via the following means:
 

• By post or by hand to the Transport and Housing Bureau's drop-in box No. 6 located at the entrance on 2/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong. The box is available for use between 8am and 7pm from Monday to Friday (except public holidays);
• By fax to 2868 4643; or
• By email to gazettethb@thb.gov.hk.

     A notice of objection should describe the objector's interest and the manner in which he or she alleges that he or she will be affected by the works or the use.  Objectors are requested to provide contact details to facilitate communication. A notice of objection should be delivered to the Secretary for Transport and Housing not later than October 23, 2018.

     Public open days at King Yin Lei will be held in September, October and December. Members of the public can visit the declared monument for free to appreciate and learn about its architectural features and history.
      
     In addition to an on-site guided tour service, antique furniture provided by the former owner of King Yin Lei will be on display along with information panels and artefacts, and there will be screenings of a documentary about King Yin Lei.

     The public open days will be held on September 15 and 16, October 20 and 21 and December 15 and 16. Each open day will have four visit sessions:

* From 9.30am to 11am;
* From 11am to 12.30pm;
* From 2pm to 3.30pm; and
* From 3.30pm to 5pm.
     
     A total of 21 600 admission tickets for these six public open days will be distributed at the following venues and times on a first-come, first-served basis on September 1 and 2 (Saturday and Sunday). Each person can obtain a maximum of four tickets for one of the sessions.

* Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre, Kowloon Park, Haiphong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon (10am to 6pm)
* Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, Hong Kong Park, 10 Cotton Tree Drive, Central, Hong Kong (10am to 5pm)
* Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 1 Man Lam Road, Sha Tin, New Territories (10am to 6pm)

     The remaining tickets will be distributed at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre from September 3. The Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre is open from Mondays to Fridays (except Thursdays) from 10am to 6pm, and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 10am to 7pm (Enquiry hotline: 2208 4400).

     King Yin Lei is located at 45 Stubbs Road, Hong Kong. Visitors are advised to use public transport to access the venue as no parking facilities are available.
     
* New World First Bus route No. 15 (Central – The Peak)
* New World First Bus route No. 15B (Wan Chai (HKCEC Extension) – The Peak) (only operates on Sundays and public holidays)
* Green minibus route No. 26 (Lee Garden Road, Causeway Bay – King Yin Lei)

     For details about King Yin Lei open days, please visit the heritage conservation website of the Development Bureau (www.heritage.gov.hk/en/whatsnew/events_54.htm), call 2848 6230 or email to kyl@devb.gov.hk.

     The Transport Department (TD) published a Gazette notice today (August 24) to invite  applications for passenger service licences for the operation of three packages of five public light bus (scheduled) routes (green minibus routes) on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon.
      
     The three packages are:
 
(1) Sheung Wan (Hollywood Road) to Caine Road (Circular);
 
(2) Ap Lei Chau (Ping Lan Street) to Lei Tung Estate/Ap Lei Chau Estate (Circular); and
　　Ap Lei Chau (Ping Lan Street) to Causeway Bay (Lee Garden Road) (Circular);
 
(3) between Yau Tong (Yau Lai Estate) and Hong Kong Children's Hospital; and
　　between Sau Mau Ping and Hong Kong Children's Hospital.

     Application forms are obtainable free of charge from the following offices:

(a) TD New Territories Regional Office, 7/F, Mongkok Government Offices, 30 Luen Wan Street, Kowloon; and
(b) TD Hong Kong Licensing Office, 3/F, United Centre, 95 Queensway, Hong Kong.
 
     Applicants should refer to the details of the public light bus (scheduled) routes and "Guidance Notes for Applicants" attached in the application form when completing the application form.
      
     Completed application forms must be submitted in a plain white envelope sealed and marked on the outside of the envelope with "Application for Passenger Service Licence(s) in Respect of the Packages of Public Light Bus (Scheduled) Routes Gazetted in August 2018" and placed in the TD Tender Box located at the reception counter of the TD Headquarters at 41/F,  Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong before noon on September 28 (Friday). Applications by any other means or submitted late will not be considered.

     Local huqin artist Chan Kai-him will perform huqin classics and a series of Guangdong music in a concert in September.
                      
     "Huqin Concert by Chan Kai-him" is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) as part of its Our Music Talents Series.
 
     The programme will include "Henan Tunes", "A Spray of Flowers", "Meditation during Confinement in Sickness", "Plucked-string Music", "The Red Plum Capriccio", "In Celebration of Good Times", "Autumn Moon over a Placid Lake", "The Little Red Peach", "The Lament of Lady Zhaojun", "Dreaming of Falling Snow", "Streaks of Tears and Threefold Sorrows" and "The Poetry of Music".
 
     Chan Kai-him gained a Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree with first class honours from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) in 2016, with a double major of erhu and gaohu under the tutelage of Wong On-yuen and Yu Qiwei. He also benefited from the coaching of many virtuosi such as Xiao Baiyong, Liu Yang, Jiang Cairu and Xue Ke. He later obtained a Master of Music degree with distinction from the HKAPA, with a major of gaohu under the tutelage of Yu Qiwei.
 
     Chan is an active figure on the concert stage, having performed as a soloist and a lead player countless times, and has held huqin solo recitals. In 2015, Chan was selected as one of the Young Music Makers by Radio Television Hong Kong. In the same year, he won a silver prize in Young Professionals Group B at the International Youth Erhu Competition (Hong Kong). Currently, he is the acting co-concertmaster of the Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble, a part-time erhu performer at the Music Office, a member of the Hong Kong Music Lover Chinese Orchestra and a co-founder of Hong Kong huqin ensemble Goin' Music. He has also represented the HKAPA and several music institutions to go on tour for artistic exchanges and performances in Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Hungary, Ireland, Taiwan, the Mainland and elsewhere.
 
     "Our Music Talents Series: Huqin Concert by Chan Kai-him" will be staged at 8pm on September 30 (Sunday) at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $120 and $160 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_582.html.
 
     The LCSD is presenting the Our Music Talents Series to nurture and support local emerging artists and groups and provide them with performing opportunities, enabling them to develop and showcase their achievements.