XN000022-1974-08-18 — Page 1

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香港政府

GIS 新聞處

DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN

P.W.D. REFUTES ALLEGATIONS IN SOME NEWSPAPER REPORTS

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TODAY REFUTED ALLEGATIONS CONTAINED IN RECENT REPORTS IN SOME NEWSPAPERS TO THE EFFECT THAT THE BUILDING AUTHORITY HAD NEEDLESSLY DELAYED THE OCCUPATION OF CERTAIN MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS LOCATED IN HILLSIDE AREAS OF HONG KONG.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE SAID THAT THE ALLEGATIONS MAY HAVE GIVEN THE IMPRESSION THAT THE BUILDING AUTHORITY WAS BEING OBSTRUCTIVE IN INSISTING ON THE SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF ALL CONSTRUCTION WORK, INCLUDING SITE FORMATION ASPECTS, BEFORE GRANTING OCCUPATION PERMITS.

+SOME OF THE QUOTATIONS ATTRIBUTED TO DEVELOPERS,+ SAID THE SPOKESMAN, +CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO REMAIN UNCHALLENGED. FIRSTLY, THEY CONTAIN FACTUAL INACCURACIES. SECONDLY, THEY TAKE NO ACCOUNT OF THE NEED TO SAFEGUARD THE PUBLIC, WHICH IS WHAT THE BUILDING ORDINANCE, AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF IT, ARE ALL ABOUT.

+THESE OMMISSIONS ARE ALMOST INCREDIBLE IN THE CASES OF THE THREE BUILDING SITES WHICH HAVE BEEN SINGLED OUT IN THESE REPORTS, SINCE TWO OF THEM ARE ON HILLSIDES AND THE OTHER IS AT THE FOOT OF A SLOPE.

+THERE. VAS,+ THE SPOKESMAN CONTINUED, +VERY STRONG PUBLIC BACKING FOR THE STRENGTHENING OF THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE, FOLLOWING THE JUNE 1972 LANDSLIDE DISASTERS, TO GIVE THE STAFF OF THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE MORE POWERS IN DEALING WITH SITE FORMATION WORKS.

+THE FACT THAT THIS AUTHORITY IS BEING USED AS THE LAW INTENDS AND DEMANDS IS HARDLY SURPRISING,+ SAID. THE SPOKESMAN. +NOR IS IT SURPRISING THAT FULL USE IS BEING MADE OF THE ADDITIONAL CIVIL ENGINEERING EXPERTISE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE AS A RESULT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY ON THE 1972 LANDSLIDES.

+WHAT SURELY WOULD BE SURPRISING, AND A MATTER FOR GRAVE PUBLIC CONCERN, WOULD BE ANY FAILURE BY THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TO USE THESE EXTRA POWERS AND RESOURCES.+

THE SPOKESMAN THEN COMMENTED ON THE FIRST OF THE THREE SITES MENTIONED, NO. 5 SING WOO CRESCENT IN HAPPY VALLEY.

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+ IN THIS CASE, HE SAID, THE AUTHORISED ARCHITECT IS WELL AWARE - INDEED HE HAS SPECIFICALLY RECOGNISED THAT THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THE SITE FORMATION WORK WHICH REQUIRE FURTHER INVESTIGATION BEFORE AN OCCUPATION PERHIT CAN BE ISSUED. HE IS NOW ENGAGED IN THIS NECESSARY PROCESS OF INVESTIGATION. THE OUTCOME OF THIS INVESTIGATION CONTAINS NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN, THEN AN OCCUPATION PERMIT WOULD OF COURSE BE GRANTED.+

Issued by Government Information Services, Beaconsfield House, Hong Kong. Tel: 5,233191

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