XN000022-1976-09-10 — Page 8

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1976

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LOOKING BACK, MR. KNIGHT NOTED THAT HONG KONG'S STORAGE CAPACITY HAD MULTIPLIED BY ABOUT 2,000 TIMES WITHIN THE LAST 100 YEARS -- FROM ABOUT 66 MILLION GALLONS IN THE 1860'S TO 67,000 MILLION GALLONS IN 1973, AND BY THE END OF THE DECADE SHOULD REACH 128,000 MILLION GALLONS WHEN HIGH ISLAND RESERVOIR WAS COMPLETED.

MR. KNIGHT SAID THE PROBLEMS WHICH HAD FACED HONG KONG IN PRODUCING THIS MASSIVE GROWTH WERE BOTH UNIQUE AND CHALLENGING.

+I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN BE SAID TO CAST US IN THE ROLE OF A WORLD LEADER IN THE WAY WE HAVE OVERCOME THEM, AND I DON'T THINK WE WOULD WANT IT IN ANY OTHER WAY,+ HE SAID.

+1 WOULD LIKE TODAY TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE ENTHUSIASM AND DEDICATION OF ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT FOR THE IR UNRELENTING EFFORTS TO ENSURE AND MAINTAIN A SATISFACTORY SUPPLY TO HONG KONG+,

PRE-WAR BUILDING DECLARED DANGEROUS *****

THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TODAY DECLARED NO. 16 AMOY STREET, HONG KONG TO BE IN A DANGEROUS CONDITION AND ORDERED THAT THE BUILDING BE DEMOLISHED.

THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR SAID THAT THIS THREE-STOREY PRE-WAR BUILDING, PARTIALLY RECONSTRUCTED IN 1947, WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH TIMBER FLOORS ON LOAD-BEARING BRICK WALLS. THE BUILDING HAS BEEN UNDER GENERAL OBSERVATION SINCE AN ADJACENT BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED AS DANGEROUS IN 1967.

THERE ARE FRACTURES IN MOST LOAD-BEARING WALLS AND INDICATIONS OF A GENERAL BUILDING MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE VACANT SITE AT NO. 18 AMOY STREET. THE SITUATION HAS DETERIORATED SIGNIFICANTLY RECENTLY AND IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THERE IS NOW A DANGER OF COLLAPSE.

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR A CLOSURE ORDER IN VICTORIA DISTRICT COURT AT 9.30 A.M. ON SEPTEMBER 17 WAS POSTED TODAY.

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