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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1986
APART FROM THE UNDESIRABLE ENVIRONMENT CREATED BY LACK OF MAINTENANCE IT COULD LEAD TO PREMATURE STRUCTURAL DETERIORATION,
NEW LEGISLATION MIGHT BE REQUIRED TO RECTIFY THIS SITUATION BY REQUIRING REGULAR MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS AND CERTIFICATION OF SATISFACTORY CONDITION FOR OLDER BUILDINGS, NOT UNLIKE THE SYSTEM RECENTLY INTRODUCED FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.
SAID.
+THIS IS AN AREA GOVERNMENT WILL BE LOOKING AT CLOSELY, + HE
+I UNDERSTAND COUNTRIES SUCH AS SINGAPORE AND AUSTRALIA HAVE LAWS ON MAINTENANCE OF MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS.
+THESE MAY PROVIDE US WITH A USEFUL LEAD, HE SAID.
MR BARNES SAID A MAJOR INNOVATION IN IMPROVING THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT IN HONG KONG WHICH WAS OF DIRECT INTEREST TO ARCHITECTS WAS THE SETTING UP OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THE CORPORATION WOULD ENABLE MUCH MORE EXTENSIVE AND ACCELERATED RE-DEVELOPMENT OF OLDER URBAN AREAS WITH MORE COMPREHENSIVELY PLANNED AND BETTER CONSTRUCTED RENEWAL SCHEMES.
+THESE SCHEMES WILL REQUIRE ALL THE INGENUITY AND RESOURCEFULNESS OF THE ARCHITECTURAL PROFESSION TO OPTIMISE THE POTENTIAL OF EACH SITE AND TO PRODUCE BUILDINGS OF QUALITY OF WHICH HONG KONG AND CHINA CAN BE PROUD AS WE MOVE INTO THE 21ST CENTURY,+ MR BARNES SAID.
MAJOR STRIDES MADE IN LEPROSY CONTROL
*****
MAJOR STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE IN HONG KONG DURING THE PAST TWO DECADES IN THE CONTROL OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES AND LEPROSY, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE ASIAN DERMATOLOGICAL CONGRESS, DR THONG SAID THAT THERE WERE 78 NEW CASES IN 1976 COMPARED WITH 217 CASES IN 1965, A DECREASE OF TWO-THIRDS IN THE NUMBER OF INCIDENCES OR A DROP IN THE INCIDENCE RATE FROM 6.1 PER 100 000 TO 1.8 PER 100 000,
THE SUCCESSFUL