FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1980
SNT SEEKS HEUNG YEE KUK VIEWS ON
PROHIBITING BURNING OF GRAVESIDE WORSHIPPING ITEMS
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A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN CONFIRMED TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, WAS SEEKING HEUNG YEE KUK'S VIEWS ON PROHIBITING THE BURNING OF GRAVESIDE WORSHIPPING ITEMS.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID MR AKERS-JONES HAD WRITTEN TO THE KUK FOR THE IR VIEWS ON SUCH A BAN IN CERTAIN FORESTED AREAS AS A MEASURE TO PREVENT FIRES.
HE SAID MR AKERS-JONES HAD REMINDED THE KUK THAT, IN A RECENT MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES AND HIMSELF, THEY HAD EXPRESSED SUPPORT IN GENERAL TO MEASURES WHICH COULD EFFECTIVELY PREVENT COUNTRYSIDE FIRE - A SUBJECT OF CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC CONCERN.+
IT WAS NOW PROPOSED, THE LETTER SAID, TO PROHIBIT ALL FORMS OF GRAVESIDE FIRES SUCH AS JOSS STICKS, CANDLES, PAPER MONEY AND FIRE CRACKERS WITHIN THE TAI LAM, SHING MUN AND TAI PO KAU AREA WHERE THERE WAS GREATEST DANGER OF COUNTRYSIDE FIRE OCCURRING DURING THE DRY SEASON AND ESPECIALLY OVER THE CHINESE NEW YEAR, CHING MING AND CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVALS.
WITHOUT DOUBT. THE MAJORITY OF FIRES DURING LAST YEAR AND PREVIOUS YEARS CAME FROM GRAVE WORSHIPPING. THERE WERE ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF GRAVES IN THESE AREAS, BUT THE RISK OF FIRE SPREADING FROM THEM TO ENGULF VERY EXTENSIVE AREAS OF HILL FOREST WAS VERY GREAT.
+THIS IS A STRINGENT MEASURE, BUT IN VIEW OF THE WIDESPREAD DAMAGE WHICH IS CAUSED, I FEEL IT TO BE NECESSARY IN THESE LIMITED AREAS OF HIGH VULNERABILITY, THE LETTER SAID.
APPLICATIONS INVITED FOR ADMISSION TO GOVERNMENT AND AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS
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APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION TO GOVERNMENT AND AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS WILL BE INVITED BETWEEN MARCH 3 AND 17, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (FRIDAY).
DURING THIS TWO-WEEK PERIOD, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, APPLICATION FORMS FOR PRIMARY 1 TO 6 WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED AT VARIOUS SCHOOLS ON THE PRODUCTION OF BIRTH CERTIFICATES OR OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS.
+CHILDREN NEED NOT ACCOMPANY THE IR PARENTS IN GETTING THESE FORMS, HE SAID.
INTERVIEWS FOR ADMISSION TO PRIMARY 1 WILL TAKE PLACE ON TUESDAY, MARCH 18.
+NO FORMAL TESTS WILL BE HELD, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
/SELECTION OF
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