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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1976
ROLE OF TRAMS UNDER REVIEW
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THE GOVERNMENT AND HONG KONG TRAMWAYS LIMITED ARE JOINTLY REVIEWING THE ROLE OF TRAMS ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND THE IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM FUTURE OF THE COMPANY.
SUBJECTS PRESENTLY UNDER DISCUSSION ARE FOCUSSED ON THE FEASIBILITY AND COSTS INVOLVED IN UPGRADING THE SERVICE
INCLUDING THE MODERNISATION OF ROLLING STOCK THE IMMEDIATE AND PROGRESSIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF SEGREGATED TRACK THE POSSIBLE EXPANSION OF THE SERVICE INTO THE ALDRICH BAY AREA, WITH AN EXTENSION INTO CHAI WAN.
DISCUSSIONS WILL CONTINUE IN PARALLEL WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS, AND WILL COVER. FUTURE INVESTMENT BY THE COMPANY TO COPE WITH EXPECTED DEMAND.
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CHILD LABOUR SITUATION IMPROVES
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ALTHOUGH SOME EMPLOYERS ARE STILL VIOLATING THE LAW WHICH PROHIBITS THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 14 IN INDUSTRY, THE OVERALL SITUATION HAS IMPROVED,
THIS WAS REVEALED BY A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS UNIT WHEN HE GAVE THE RESULTS OF A RECENT ANTI-CHILD LABOUR CAMPAIGN CARRIED OUT BETWEEN FEBRUARY 24 AND 26 THIS YEAR.
HE SAID DURING THE CAMPAIGN THE 19TH IN THE SERIES - SURPRISE VISITS WERE MADE BY LABOUR INSPECTORS TO OVER 5,450 INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS SELECTED AT RANDOM FROM MORE THAN 33,500 ESTABLISHMENTS. ONLY 27 WERE FOUND TO BE ILLEGALLY EMPLOYING 28 CHILDREN UNDER 14 YEARS.
THE 5,450 UNDERTAKINGS INCLUDED. 16 WHICH WERE FOUND EMPLOYING CHILDREN DURING ROUTINE VISITS BETWEEN OCTOBER LAST YEAR AND THIS FEBRUARY, AND 40 WHICH WERE CAUGHT DURING A SPECIAL CAMPAIGN LAST SEPTEMBER. IN ACCORDANCE WITH LABOUR DEPARTMENT POLICY ALL WERE PROSECUTED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IT WAS ENCOURAGING TO NOTE THAT OF THESE 56 FORMERLY FAULTED EMPLOYERS ONLY ONE WAS AGAIN CAUGHT. THIS INDICATED THAT THE CAMPAIGNS HAD DISCOURAGED INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS FROM EMPLOYING CHILD LABOUR.
SINCE JULY 1973 THERE HAD BEEN A MARKED DECREASE IN THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN EMPLOYED PER 100 INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS DURING SCHOOL SUMMER HOLIDAY PERIODS WHEN THERE WAS IN THE PAST HIGHER INCIDENCE OF CHILD LABOUR.