XN000022-1978-03-15 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1978

FIRST EXPERIMENTAL VILLAGE LIGHTING SCHEME TO BE COMPLETED THIS MONTH

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CONTRACTS FOR SEVEN LIGHTING SCHEMES COVERING 16 VILLAGES HAVE BEEN LET AT A COST OF $450,000 AND THE FIRST SCHEME WILL BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE END OF THIS MONTH.

AND ON PRESENT EXPENDITURE FORECASTS FOR THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR, CONTRACTS FOR A FURTHER 20 TO 25 SCHEMES WILL BE LET AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $1 MILLION, THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HON. DAVID AKERS-JONES TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

REPLYING TO QUESTIONS FROM THE HON. CHARLES YEUNG, MR. AKERS- JONES SAID: +PROGRESS IN THIS ESSENTIALLY EXPERIMENTAL STAGE HAS BEEN SATISFACTORY.+

DURING THE COURSE OF THIS PRESENT FINANCIAL YEAR, HE SAID, THE LOCAL PUBLIC WORKS SCHEME IN THE NEW TERRITORIES HAD BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE PROVISION OF LIGHTING TO VILLAGES WHICH FOR REASONS OF LOCATION WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE INCLUDED IN THE STREET LIGHTING PROGRAMME.

ANSWERING ANOTHER QUESTION, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID IT WAS NOT THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO PROVIDE ALL NEW TERRITORIES VILLAGES WITH STREET LIGHTING.

+CLEARLY SMALL AND REMOTE VILLAGES AND AREAS OF SCATTERED HABITATION MUST RATE A VERY LOW PRIORITY, HE SAID.

HE SAID HE INTENDED TO EXAMINE THE STAFF AND FUNDS REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH A FORMAL VILLAGE LIGHTING PROGRAMME.

+1 AM NOT YET. THEN, IN A POSITION TO SAY WHEN STREET LIGHTING WILL BE INSTALLED IN THOSE VILLAGES WHERE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS ON PROVIDING LIGHTING COULD BE JUSTIFIED, BUT IT IS MY INTENTION TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS ON THE OVERALL REQUIREMENT WITHIN THE NEXT FOUR TO FIVE YEARS, PROVIDED STAFF AND FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, SAID MR. AKERS-JONĖS.

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