XN000022-1974-07-01 — Page 2

MONDAY, JULY 1, 1974

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THE GOVERNMENT WATER ENGINEER IN CHARGE OF DESALTING, MR. HERBERT WOODTHORPE, AMPLIFIED THUS: +YES, THERE'S NO DOUBT WE'VE REACHED A POINT WHERE OUR IDEAS AND EXPERIENCE HAVE A DISTINCT RATING OVERSEAS. FOR EXAMPLE, AMONG OUR RECENT VISITORS WERE SOME AUSTRALIANS LOOKING INTO THE PROS AND CONS OF BUILDING A DESALTER NEAR MELBOURNE.

+ IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION, WE'VE RECENTLY SENT SOME OF OUR CHAPS TO KUVALT TO SEE HOU THEIR VARIOUS PLANTS ARE WORKING OUT. WE'RE THE INTERESTED PARTY IN THAT CASE - BUT I'VE NO DOUBT THAT OUR ENGINEERS HAD A WORTHWHILE CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE TO THE EXCHANGE.+

THESE COMMENTS WERE ECHOED, OUT AT HIGH ISLAND, BY MR. TONY VAIL, THE SENIOR RESIDENT ENGINEER FOR THE DAM CONSTRUCTION.

+WHAT WE'RE DOING AT HIGH ISLAND,+ HE SAID, +1S BUILDING A RESERVOIR WHOSE EASTERN DAM WILL HAVE TO WITHSTAND SEAS BUILDING UP ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE PACIFIC. IT'S NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE THE PROBLEMS ARE ABSORBING AND IT'S ALWAYS A REFRESHING EXPERIENCE TO CHAT ABOUT THEM TO OUTSIDERS. MY IMPRESSSION IS THAT OUR VISITORS USUALLY GET A KICK OUT OF IT TOO – AND.- TAKE QUITE A FEW NOTIONS AWAY WITH THEM.+

HR LI HIN WING, THE GOVERNMENT WATER ENGINEER IN CHARGE OF NEW WORKS, AGREED. AND HE ADDED A FURTHER THOUGHT : +IT'S NOT ONLY THE PROFESSIONAL VISITORS WHO GIVE AN EDGE TO OUR THINKING. THERE ARE THE LAY TOURISTS WHO COME TOO - AND THEY CAN BE A REAL PLEASURE TO SHOW AROUND..

+FOR EXAMPLE, CONDUCTING A PRESS PARTY AROUND CAN OFTEN BE A TONIC EXPERIENCE. YOU HAVE TO TRANSLATE YOUR ANSWERS INTO LAY TERMS AND THIS CAN PROMOTE A CLEARER PICTURE IN YOUR OWN MIND.+

THE TREND WAS SUMMED UP BY HONG KONG'S DIRECTOR OF WATER SUPPLIES, MR. BILL KNIGHT, WHO JOINED PUBLIC, WORKS DEPARTMENT IN 1951.

+I'VE BEEN IN THIS GAME TOO LONG+, HE SAID, +TO THINK THAT WE HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS. WE HAVEN'T. WE'RE LEARNING THE WHOLE TIME. BUT WE'VE GOT SOME OF THE ANSWERS - AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO SHARE THEM.

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+DAM-BUILDING OR DESALTER-BUILDING OR EXTENDING A CONDUIT SYSTEM CAN NEVER BE CONDUCTED IN A TERRITORIAL VACUUM. THERE'S A WORLD BANK' OF IDEAS, SO TO SPEAK, AND OF COURSE WE'VE DRAWN ON THAT BANK AND WE SHALL CONTINUE TO DRAW ON IT. BUT IT'S TRUE, FOR SOME TIME NOW WE'VE BEEN DEPOSITING IDEAS WITH THE BANK - REPAY ING WITH INTEREST, IF YOU LIKE - AND THIS PROCESS, I'M SURE, IS GOING TO CONTINUE AND WILL EXPAND,+ HE SAID.

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NOTE TO EDITORS:

COPIES OF A PHOTOGRAPH ILLUSTRATING THE ABOVE ITEM IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION AT THE GIS PRESS ROOM.

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