XN000022-1976-03-11 — Page 4

THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1976

BUILDINGS DECLARED UNSAFE ****

THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TODAY (THURSDAY) DECLARED NO. 94 LAI CHI KOK ROAD TO BE IN A DANGEROUS CONDITION AND NO. 96 LAI CHI KOK ROAD LIABLE TO BECOME DANGEROUS, AND ORDERED THEIR DEMOLITION.

IN A STATEMENT ISSUED THIS MORNING, THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR, P.W.D., SAID THAT THESE TWO FOUR-STOREY PRE-WAR BUILDINGS HAD BEEN UNDER GENERAL OBSERVATION SINCE 1973 WHEN SOME REPAIRS TO STRUCTURAL TIMBERS AND REINFORCED CONCRETE ELEMENTS WERE CARRIED OUT UNDER ORDER BY THE BUILDING AUTHORITY.

RE-INSPECTION FOLLOWING A RECENT COMPLAINT REVEALED FRESH SETTLEMENT AND MOVEMENT OF THE LOAD-BEARING BRICK WALLS OF NO. 94 LAI CHI KOK ROAD. STRUCTURAL TIMBERS WERE ALSO DECAYED AND THERE WAS DANGER OF COLLAPSE.

NO. 96 LAI CHI KOK ROAD WILL BE RENDERED DANGEROUS BY THE REMOVAL OF THE COMMON STAIRCASE WHICH IT SHARES WITH NO. 94.

ACCORDINGLY, NOTICES OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR CLOSURE ORDERS IN THE KOWLOON DISTRICT COURT AT 9.30 A.M. ON APRIL 8 WERE POSTED TODAY.

GOVERNOR TO OPEN NEW INDOOR DRIVING SCHOOL

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NOTE TO EDITORS :

THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, WILL INAUGURATE HONG KONG'S SECOND INDOOR DRIVING SCHOOL LOCATED ON A SITE UNDER THE MARSH ROAD FLYOVER THIS SATURDAY (MARCH 13).

SIMILAR TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT'S INDOOR DRIVING SCHOOL IN KOWLOON, THE NEW SCHOOL IS OPERATED BY THE HONG KONG AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION AND EQUIPPED WITH 16 DRIVING SIMULATORS AND A COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEM.

THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SCHOOL WILL START AT 11.45 A.M. THE GOVERNOR, PATRON OF THE ASSOCIATION, WILL ARRIVE AT 12.15 P.M. YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO COVER THE OPENING CEREMONY.

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