MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1986
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NINETY-EIGHT PER CENT OF LOCAL MAIL IS DELIVERED TO MOST URBAN AREAS WITHIN A DAY AFTER POSTING, AND
NINETY-NINE PER CENT OF ALL OUTGOING AIRMAIL WAS DESPATCHED WITHIN 24 HOURS IF OUTGOING FLIGHTS WERE AVAILABLE.
THE HONG KONG POST OFFICE, HE SAID, HAD EARNED A GOOD REPUTATION LOCALLY AS WELL AS OVERSEAS FOR ITS RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT SERVICE.
COUNTRY PARKS REOPENING TOMORROW
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THE SHING MUN, TAI MO SHAN AND TAI LAM COUNTRY PARKS AND THE TAI PO KAU NATURE RESERVE, WHICH HAVE BEEN CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC FOR MORE THAN A MONTH DUE TO EXTREMELY HIGH FIRE RISK, WILL BE RE-OPENED FROM TOMORROW (TUESDAY).
THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR JOHN RIDDELL- SWAN, MADE THE DECISION TODAY FOLLOWING AN OVERALL REVIEW OF THE RECENT HILL FIRE SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY PARKS, AND AFTER CONSIDERING THE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE FIRE RISK IN THE COUNTRYSIDE HAD BECOME LOWER BECAUSE OF THE RECENT RAIN AND THE GENERAL RISE IN RELATIVE HUMIDITY.
+THE CLOSURE AND THE BAN ON BARBECUING IN ALL COUNTRY PARKS HAVE ACHIEVED THE GOAL OF REDUCING THE NUMBER OF FIRE OUTBREAKS AND THE PUBLICITY GENERATED HAS MADE THE PUBLIC MORE FIRE-CONSCIOUS. BEFORE THE CLOSURE (JANUARY 11), THERE WERE ABOUT 30 FIRES IN OR NEAR COUNTRY PARKS IN A WEEK, BUT THE NUMBER DROPPED TO 16 AND 5 IN THE FIRST AND SECOND WEEK AFTER CLOSURE RESPECTIVELY.+
THE BAN ON BARBECUING HAD BEEN LIFTED SINCE FEBRUARY 6 AFTER CONSIDERING THE IMPROVEMENT IN WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE FACT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD BE GOING OUT TO THE COUNTRYSIDE SEEKING RECREATION DURING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS.
+COUNTRYSIDE VISITORS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE CAREFUL WITH FIRE, ESPECIALLY DURING SHORT SPELLS OF DRY WEATHER. THEY SHOULD BARBECUE ONLY IN DESIGNATED PLACES AND DISCARD CIGARETTE ENDS WITH CARE,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
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