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THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1976
RETIREMENT OF CHIEF ENGINEER OF WATERWORKS OFFICE
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MR. JOHN MCDERMONT, CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE WATERWORKS OFFICE, IS RETIRING SHORTLY AFTER 16 YEARS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
TO MARK HIS RETIREMENT, THE DIRECTOR OF WATER SUPPLIES, MR. BILL KNIGHT, WILL TOMORROW (FRIDAY) PRESENT HIM WITH A RETIREMENT GIFT ON BEHALF OF HIS COLLEAGUES.
MR. MCDERMONT JOINED THE WATERWORKS OFFICE AS AN ENGINEER IN APRIL 1960 WHEN HE FIRST ARRIVED IN HONG KONG AND IMMEDIATELY ASSUMED DUTIES ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW FILTER STATION FOR ABERDEEN.
HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SANDY BAY PUMPING STATION, MT. DAVIS SERVICE RESERVOIR AND VARIOUS CATCHMENT CHANNELS, TUNNELS AND ACCESS ROAD ON LANTAU ISLAND, ALL OF WHICH ARE VITAL COMPONENTS OF THE SHEK PIK WATER SCHEME - THE THEN LARGEST WATER SCHEME IN HONG KONG.
HE WAS PROMOTED TO SENIOR ENGINEER IN FEBRUARY 1967 AND TO
HIS PRESENT POST OF CHIEF ENGINEER IN NOVEMBER 1973.
AS CHIEF ENGINEER, MR. MCDERMONT WAS IN CHARGE OF WORKS FORMING PART OF THE HIGH ISLAND WATER SCHEME AND WAS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF ALL NEW WATERWORKS INSTALLATIONS FOR SHA TIN NEW TOWN, AS WELL AS THE MARKET TOWNS IN SHEUNG SHU AND TAI PO.
S.W.D. TEAM IN WALK FOR A MILLION' ******
MORE THAN 700 SOCIAL WORKERS WILL BECOME +SOCIAL WALKERS+ THIS SUNDAY (MARCH 7) WHEN THEY TAKE PART IN THE KOWLOON +WALK FOR A MILLION+ IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY CHEST'S FUND-RAISING CAMPAIGN.
THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, WILL LEAD THE S.W.D. TEAM WHICH COMPRISES ABOUT 150 STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT AND 500 MEMBERS OF THE GROUP AND COMMUNITY WORK DIVISION.
ALSO PARTICIPATING IN THE WALK WILL BE A GROUP OF 36 PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY DISABLED TRAINEES FROM THE DEPARTMENT'S KAI YIN TRAINING CENTRE, SAU MAU PING DEAF CLUB AND WORLD REHABILITATION FUND DAY CENTRE. THEY WILL BE UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF SIX STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE CENTRES.
ANOTHER 63 RESIDENTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT'S KWUN TONG HOSTEL WILL TAKE PART IN THIS WALK.
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