THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1977
48 PEOPLE COMMENDED FOR BRAVERY
IN SEA RESCUES
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TWO 15-YEAR-OLD SCHOOL BOYS ARE AMONG 48 CIVIC-MINDED PEOPLE COMMENDED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE, MR. MALCOLM ALEXANDER FOR THEIR BRAVERY IN SAVING 15 LIVES AT SEA DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS.
THE GROUP, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES EIGHT MARINE OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF JUMBO RESTAURANT WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE RESCUE FOLLOWING THE EXPLOSION IN ABERDEEN HARBOUR ON APRIL 6, RECEIVED THE IR CERTIFICATES OF COMMENDATION FOR BRAVERY FROM MR. ALEXANDER AT A CEREMONY THIS MORNING.
AMONG OTHER RECIPIENTS WERE MEMBERS OF THE YAUMATI AND STAR FERRY COMPANIES AND THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE.
SPEAKING AT THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY, MR. ALEXANDER PAID TRIBUTE TO THE RECIPIENTS AND SAID THEIR ACTIONS INDICATED NOT ONLY GREAT COURAGE, BUT ALSO PUBLIC SPIRITEDNESS OF A VERY HIGH ORDER, AND CONCERN FOR THOSE IN TROUBLE.
+THEY DID WHAT WAS NECESSARY DESPITE THE PERSONAL RISK INVOLVED, + MR. ALEXANDER SAID.
HE NOTED THAT ALL THE RESCUERS, WITHOUT EXCEPTIONS, ACTED SPONTANEOUSLY WHEN THE INCIDENTS IN WHICH THEY WERE INVOLVED OCCURRED, AND AS THEY PLUNGED INTO THE WATER, THERE CAN HAVE BEEN ONLY ONE THOUGHT UPPERMOST IN THEIR MINDS TO SAVE THE LIVES OF THOSE IN DISTRESS.+
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ON RESCUERS AT THE ABERDEEN EXPLOSION WHICH RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF THREE MARINE OFFICERS AND INJURY TO MANY OTHERS,
MR. ALEXANDER SAID THE COURAGE AND FORTITUDE THEY DISPLAYED IN THE RESCUE GAINED THEM THE ADMIRATION OF THEIR COLLEAGUES AND WAS A FITTING TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES.
SPEEDPOST SERVICE TO TAIWAN
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THE POST OFF ICE ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT SPEEDPOST SERVICE WOULD BE EXTENDED TO TAIWAN FROM JANUARY 3, 1978.
+ INITIALLY THE SERVICE WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE TO TAIPEI BUT IT WILL SUBSEQUENTLY BE EXTENDED TO OTHER MAJOR CITIES IN TAIWAN,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE POST OFFICE SAID.
TAIWAN WILL BE THE NINTH TERRITORY TO WHICH SPEEDPOST SERVICE IS AVAILABLE. THE OTHER EIGHT COUNTRIES ARE AUSTRALIA, BELGIUM, BRAZIL, FRANCE, JAPAN, THE NETHERLANDS, UNITED KINGDOM AND THE UNITED STATES.
MEANWHILE, THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL SPEEDPOST CONFERENCE WILL
BE HELD IN HONG KONG NEXT MARCH.
THE CONFERENCE, TO BE HOSTED BY THE POST OFFICE, WILL CONSIDER WAYS AND MEANS OF EXTENDING THE RANGE OF SPEEDPOST FACILITIES AND OF EXTENDING THE SERVICE TO EVEN MORE DESTINATIONS.
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