SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1979
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PWD SETS UP LIGHTING DIVISION
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A LIGHTING DIVISION HAS BEEN SET UP IN THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THE MOVE FOLLOWED RECOMMENDATIONS BY A BRITISH LIGHTING ENGINEER WHO WAS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN 1977 TO INVESTIGATE AND REPORT ON HONG KONG'S ROAD LIGHTING SYSTEM.
THE NEW DIVISION, HEADED BY A CHIEF ENGINEER, COMPRISES TWO SENIOR ENGINEERS, ONE FOR HONG KONG ISLAND AND THE OTHER FOR KOWLOON, SEVEN ENGINEERS AND FIVE TECHNICAL OFFICERS.
A HIGHWAYS OFFICE SPOKESMAN SAID: INITIALLY THE DIVISION WILL BE STAFFED BY A BLEND OF LOCAL ENGINEERS AND EXPERIENCED EXPATRIATES, HOWEVER, ARRANGEMENTS ARE BEING MADE TO PROVIDE LOCAL ENGINEERS WITH THE APPROPRIATE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INITIAL PRACTICAL TRAINING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM SO THAT LOCAL EXPERTISE CAN BE BUILT UP.*
THE FUNCTIONS OF THE DIVISION, WHICH SHOULD ACHIEVE A CLOSER WORKING RELATIONSHIP ON LIGHTING MATTERS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE TWO POWER COMPANIES, WILL INCLUDE THE APPLICATION OF MODERN DESIGN STANDARDS, TECHNIQUES AND LIGHT SOURCES AND PLANNED MAINTENANCE METHODS.
THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT THE USE OF MODERN LAMPS AND LANTERNS ON HONG KONG ROADS SHOULD RESULT IN A REDUCTION IN CRIME AND AFTER-DARK ROAD ACCIDENTS. IN ADDITION,
IN ADDITION, MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY SHOULD BE ACHIEVED IN THE USE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY.
MARINE DEPARTMENT'S NEW FLOATING REFUSE COLLECTOR
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THE MARINE DEPARTMENT'S NEW FLOATING MECHANICAL REFUSE COLLECTOR HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A SERIES OF OPERATIONAL TRIALS WITHIN THE ABERDEEN HARBOUR, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).
THE +WATER WITCH+ RECOVERED SOME 70 TONS OF FLOATING REFUSE WITHIN THE PAST 13 DAYS A DAILY AVERAGE OF 5.4 TONS.
+THIS COMPARES MOST FAVOURABLY WITH THE 1.8 TONS PER DAY NORMALLY COLLECTED BY THE ONE MOTORISED CARGO BOAT AND EIGHT SAMPANS THAT COMPRISE THE ABERDEEN REFUSE SCAVENGING FLEET, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
IN TERMS OF COST EFFECTIVENESS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, TO COLLECT REFUSE UTILISING THE CONVENTIONAL FLEET COSTS $680 PER TON, WHEREAS THE OPERATIONAL COST OF THE WATER WITCH+ IS $157 A TON.
+THERE ARE STILL SOME TEETHING PROBLEMS RELATING TO BARGE STORAGE AND ULTIMATE DISPOSAL OF REFUSE COLLECTED BY THE +WATER WITCH.+
+HOWEVER IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THESE WILL BE RESOLVED IN THE NEAR FUTURE, FOLLOWING WHICH THE POTENTIAL OF THIS CRAFT SHOULD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE, HE SAID.
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