FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 1980
BASALT ISLAND FIRING RANGE
*****
THE PORT SHELTER NAVAL FIRING AREA IS TO BE CONSIDERABLY REDUCED WITH THE PRACTICE RANGE BEING CONFINED TO BASALT ISLAND ITSELF.
THE CHANGE IS INCORPORATED IN THE DEFENCE (FIRING AREAS) ORDINANCE PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY (FRIDAY).
THE PORT SHELTER RANGE, INCLUDING MANY OF THE ISLANDS AND INLETS TO THE SOUTH OF SAI KUNG PENINSULA WHICH HAS BEEN IN OPERATION FOR SOME YEARS, WILL BE GIVEN UP.
THE NEW RANGE WILL PROVIDE ESSENTIAL TARGET PRACTICE FOR ROYAL NAVY PATROL CRAFT AND CRAFT OF THE MARINE POLICE.
IT WILL INCORPORATE BASALT ISLAND ITSELF AND THE OPEN SEA TO THE EAST OF IT.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE RANGE WOULD BE USED TWICE EACH MONTH. ADVANCE PUBLICITY WOULD ALWAYS BE GIVEN THE DAY BEFORE, AND THE RANGE ITSELF WOULD BE CLEARLY MARKED WITH FLAGS AND BUOYS.
FIRING WOULD ONLY TAKE PLACE BETWEEN 8 AM AND MIDDAY ON TWO TWO-DAY PERIODS. LAUNCHES AND PATROL CRAFT WOULD PATROL THE PERIMETER DURING FIRING.
+FIRING WILL NOT TAKE PLACE ON WEEKENDS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS,+ SAID THE SPOKESMAN.
HE SAID THE BASALT ISLAND RANGE WOULD ALLOW FOR THE CORRECT CALIBRATION OF GUNS ABOARD THE VESSELS,
-
HUNTING BANNED IN PUBLIC INTEREST ******
HONG KONG'S DIMINISHING WILDLIFE POPULATION WILL BE PROTECTED BY A GOVERNMENT DECISION NOT TO RENEW GAME HUNTING LICENCES.
THE DISCONTINUANCE OF GAME HUNTING LICENCES COMES INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, SAID LICENSED HUNTERS ASSOCIATION AND THE HEUNG YEE KUK HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE DECISION, WHICH WAS ALSO MADE IN THE INTERESTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
HE SAID THAT AT ANY ONE TIME DURING A WINTER WEEKEND ABOUT 100 000 PEOPLE COULD BE EXPECTED TO VISIT THE COUNTRYSIDE. THERE WERE ALMOST SEVEN MILLION VISITS TO THE COUNTRY PARKS ALONE IN 1979, AND THE NUMBER COULD RISE 30 PER CENT ANNUALLY IF CURRENT PATTERNS WERE MAINTAINED.
+THE LEGAL PROVISIONS PERMITTING HUNTING DATED FROM 1936 WHEN THE COUNTRYSIDE WAS VISITED BY VERY FEW PEOPLE. BUT THIS SITUATION HAS CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND SEVERAL FORMER VILLAGES HAVE BECOME MAJOR TOWNS, + HE SAID.
/HE ADDEND