WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 1974
VICTORIA POOL DROWNING
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THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES, MR. DAVID ALEXANDER, TODAY SAID IT HAD NOT BEEN POSSIBLE SO FAR TO ASCERTAIN THE EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE DROWNING OF A BOY IN VICTORIA PARK SWIMMING POOL ON MAY 12 THIS YEAR.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. WOO PAK-CHUEN, MR. ALEXANDER RECALLED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, 2.45 P.M., THE POOL WAS VERY CROWDED.
THE SECOND SHIFT OF LIFEGUARDS HAD ALREADY COME ON DUTY AND OF THESE, FOUR (FULL COMPLEMENT) WERE ON DUTY AT THE MAIN POOL, WITH TWO ADDITIONAL LIFEGUARDS ON DUTY BETWEEN THE MAIN POOL AND THE NEARBY CHILDREN'S POOL.
THE VICTIM, A NON-SWIMMER, WAS SEEN LYING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MAIN POOL, IN WATER ABOUT TWO METERS DEEP, BY THE LIFEGUARD NEAREST TO HIM. THE LIFEGUARD IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO THE WATER AND BROUGHT THE BOY OUT. HOWEVER, THE VICTIM WAS UNCONSCIOUS. AND BREATHING WITH DIFFICULTY,
MR. ALEXANDER SAID THAT BEFORE THE VICTIM WAS SPOTTED, NO CRIES FOR HELP VERE HEARD, NOR WERE THERE SIGNS THAT ANY PERSON WAS IN DIFFICULTIES. THE BOY WAS TAKEN AT ONCE TO THE POOL'S FIRST AID POST WHERE MOUTH-TO-MOUTH RESPIRATION WAS APPLIED FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES.
+DURING THIS PERIOD, NO WATER CAME UP ONLY SOME FOOD, + MR. ALEXANDER SAID.
THE DIRECTOR ADDED THAT AN AMBULANCE, CALLED AT 2.55 P.M.. ARRIVED WITHIN FIVE MINUTES AND LEFT TWO MINUTES LATER FOR TANG SHIV KIN HOSPITAL. OXYGEN WAS APPLIED ON THE WAY, BUT THE BOY WAS CERTIFIED DEAD AFTER ARRIVAL -
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NO APPARENT NEED FOR HIRE-PURCHASE LEGISLATION
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THE GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO CONSIDER LEGISLATION ON HI RE-PURCHASE AGREEMENTS IF IT IS SHOWN THAT THIS IS NEEDED, THE ACTING FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. DAVID JORDAN, SAID TODAY.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. WOO PAK-CHUEN, MR. JORDAN NOTED THAT MR. WOO HAD ASKED A SIMILAR QUESTION IN AUGUST 1970. AT THAT TIME THE ATTORNEY GENERAL REPLIED AT LENGTH SAYING THAT AS NO EVIDENCE HAD COME TO LIGHT TO SHOW THAT THERE WERE IN THIS BUSINESS MALPRACTICES AND OPPRESSIVE AGREEMENTS FROM WHICH THE PUBLIC NEEDED PROTECTION, THERE WAS NO PLAN TO DRAFT LEGISLATION THEN.
+IN THE FOUR YEARS SINCE THEN,+ MR. JORDAN SAID, +NO ONE HAS REPRESENTED TO THE GOVERNMENT THAT THE POSITION HAS CHANGED AND I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY PUBLIC EXPRESSION OF OPINION THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR LEGISLATION.+
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