XN000022-1974-04-24 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1974

PUBLIC WILL BE CONSULTED ON PROPOSED CULTURAL COMPLEX

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THE PUBLIC WILL BE GIVEN AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON PLANS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW CULTURAL COMPLEX IN TS IM SHA TSUI WHEN THESE ARE READY.

THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON. DAVID MCDONALD TODAY TOLD LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT THERE WAS AS YET NO ITEM IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME PROVIDING FOR SUCH A COMPLEX, ALTHOUGH THERE IS A CATEGORY C ITEM FOR A MUSEUM WHICH WOULD ULTIMATELY FORM PART OF THE PROPOSED COMPLEX.

+WHEN THE TOTAL SCHEDULE OF ACCOMMODATION FOR THE PROJECT HAS BEEN APPROVED AND SKETCH PLANS PREPARED THERE WILL BE A PRESS RELEASE DESCRIBING THE PROPOSALS AND ILLUSTRATING THE INTENTIONS WHICH WILL GIVE THE GENERAL PUBLIC AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE COMMENT, HE ADDED.

MR. MCDONALD WAS REPLYING TO A QUENTION FROM THE HON. WILSON WANG AS TO WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT HOULD DISPLAY PLANS FOR THE NEW CULTURAL COMPLEX FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

RECENTLY, MR. MCDONALD SAID, HIS DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN

ASSISTING THE URBAN COUNCIL IN THE FORM OF FEASIBILITY STUDIES SO THAT THE COUNCILLORS COULD FORMULATE THEIR IDEAS ON THE ACCOMMODATION AND ON THE DISPOSITION OF THE FACILITIES PROPOSED FOR INCLUSION IN THE SCHEME.

SHIPS MAY FACE STIFFER FINES FOR SHOKE POLLUTION ******

CONSIDERATION IS BEING GIVEN TO INCREASE THE PRESENT MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR SMOKE NUISANCE CAUSED BY SHIPS FROM $1,000 TO $5,000.

THE HON. JAMES ROBSON, SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT THE RELEVANT AMENDMENTS TO THE MERCHANT SHIPPING ORDINANCE IN CONNECTION WITH THE INCREASE IS IN THE DRAFTING STAGE.

HE ADDED THAT THE AMENDMENT IS BEING CONSIDERED IN THE CONTEXT OF A WIDER EXERCISE AIMED AT REVISING A NUMBER OF PENALTIES FOR OFFENCES UNDER THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE.

+IT IS HOPED THAT THESE AMENDMENTS CAN BE PUT TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SHORTLY,+ HE SAID.

MR. ROBSON WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. ANN · TSE-KAI WHO WANTED TO KNOW WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD. INCREASE THE PRESENT +LOW MAXIMUM PENALTY+ OF $1,000 FOR SMOKE POLLUTION CAUSED BY SHIPS.

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