XN000022-1977-05-04 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 977

+AS THE LAW STANDS THERE ARE MANY ANOMALIES, HE SAID, POINTING OUT THAT A SHOE-MAKER OR A TAILOR WHO USES NO POWER MACHINERY AND EMPLOYS LESS THAN 20 PERSONS COULD LEGALLY EMPLOY CHILDREN DESPITE THE APPALLING WORKING CONDITIONS.

HE ADDED: IF IT IS SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR CHILDREN TO BE EMPLOYED IN FACTORIES, SHOULD IT NOT BE EQUALLY SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR CHILDREN TO BE EMPLOYED IN OTHER TRADES WHOSE WORKING CONDITIONS ARE NOT BETTER OR EVEN WORSE THAN THOSE IN FACTORIES. +

DR. CHUNG SAID HE WAS AWARE THAT THERE WERE SOME CASES IN WHICH CHILDREN COULD BE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED, PARTICULARLY ON PART-TIME BASIS, WITHOUT SOCIAL OBJECTION.

+ONE POSSIBLE WAY TO REMOVE SUCH ANOMALIES, HE SAID, +1S TO INCORPORATE IN THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE A CLAUSE PROHIBITING THE EMPLOYMENT OF ANY CHILD WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE WHO HAVE EXPRESS PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED,

DR. CHUNG SAID IT WAS RECOGNISED THAT THE PROBLEM OF EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN MIGHT NOT BE SO EASILY RESOLVED. NEVERTHELESS, IT WAS AN IMPORTANT SOCIAL ISSUE. HE URGED THAT GOVERNMENT SERIOUSLY CONSIDER IT WITH SOME PRIORITY.

WATER SITUATION

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THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON, DAVID MCDONALD TODAY WARNED OF POSSIBLE WATER RESTRICTIONS THIS YEAR AND ÜRGED THE PUBLIC AND INDUSTRY TO START SAVING WATER.

HE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT PRESENT

STORAGE LEVELS WERE MARGINALLY SATISFACTORY FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR BUT IF THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL DURING THIS MONTH IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO INTRODUCE RESTRICTIONS IN SUPPLY,+

MR. MCDONALD SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD LAUNCH A PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN TO IMPRESS ON CONSUMERS THE IMPORTANCE OF REDUCING CONSUMPTION AS A SAFEGUARD AGAINST POSSIBLE SHORTAGES.

HE WAS SPEAKING IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS RAISED BY DR. THE HON. CHUNG SZE-YUEN ABOUT THE PRESENT WATER STORAGE POSITION.

MR. MCDONALD SAID THAT ON MAY 1 THIS YEAR RESERVOIR STORAGE STOOD AT 34,000 MILLION GALLONS OR ABOUT HALF OF TOTAL CAPACITY, COMPARED WITH 45,200 MILLION GALLONS OR 67 PER CENT OF CAPACITY AT THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR.

ON OCTOBER 1 LAST YEAR HE SAID, THE RESERVOIRS WERE 96 PER CENT FULL. +HAD THERE BEEN AVERAGE YIELD AND DEMAND SINCE THEN THE STORAGE WOULD NOW HAVE BEEN AROUND 43,300 MILLION GALLONS OR 64 PER CENT OF CAPACITY, HE SAID.

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