XN000022-1978-05-24 — Page 23

EDNESDAY, MAY 24, 207.

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PLANS IN HAND TO REMOVE SMELL NUISANCE IN

NGAU TAU KOK

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PLANS ARE IN HAND TO REMOVE THE SMELL PERMEATING THE STRETCH OF KWUN TONG ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF NGAU TAU KOK ESTATE, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON, DAVID MCDONALD SAID TODAY.

M.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE REV. THE HON. JOYCE BENNETT AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

MR. MCDONALD SAID: +WHEN THE NULLAH DECKING IN KWUN TONG ROAD WAS CONSTRUCTED. A SMALL SECTION IN THE CENTRAL DIVIDER OF THE ROAD WAS LEFT OPEN TO ACCOMMODATE THE PROJECTING VALVES ON A LARGE WATER MAIN WHICH CROSSES OVER THE NULLAH.

+THIS OPENING ALLOWS THE EMISSION OF SMELLS PRODUCED IN THE NULLAH BY THE DISCHARGE OF SULLAGE WATER FROM THE OLD RESETTLEMENT BLOCKS AT JORDAN VALLEY AND THE WASTE FROM SQUATTER AREAS UPSTREAM OF THE NULLAH.+

HE SAID THAT PLANS WERE IN HAND TO REMOVE THE NUISANCE BY CONSTRUCTING A DECK OVER THE OPENING WITH A HOUSING FOR THE WATERWORKS INSTALLATION.

IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION, MR. MCDONALD SAID THERE WAS NO PLAN AT PRESENT TO COVER THE NULLAH IN THE JORDAN VALLEY ESTATE.

HOWEVER, HE ADDED, DECKING OF THE NULLAH WOULD BE RECONSIDERED WHEN DETAILED PLANNING FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA WAS BEING PREPARED.

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QUERY ON INITIAL ATTENDANCE AT MAGISTRATE COURTS

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THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON. JOHN HOELEY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT THE SUGGESTION TO ALLOW A DEFENDANT WHO INTENDS TO PLEAD NOT GUILTY TO DO SO BY POST IS BEING EXAMINED IN DETAIL.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, WHO HAS ASKED: +WILL GOVERNMENT REVIEW THE LEGISLATION IN REGARD TO MAGISTRATE COURTS SO THAT A DEFENDANT WHO INTENDS TO PLEAD NOT GUILTY CAN DO SO BY POST AND BE SUBSEQUENTLY NOTIFIED BY LETTER CF THE DATE OF THE HEARING IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT SUCH CASES ARE INVARIABLY ADJOURNED TO A LATER DATE FOR HEARING AND THEREFORE A WASTE OF THE TIME OF BOTH THE COURT AND THE DEFENDANT?+

MR. HOBLEY SAID THAT AT FIRST SIGHT, THE REGISTRAR OF THE SUPREME COURT WAS HOPEFUL THAT MR. CHEONG-LEEN'S SUGGESTION COULD BE IMPLEMENTED.

BUT MR. HOBLEY STRESSED THAT THE EXISTING JUDICIARY SYSTEM OF REQUIRING AN INITIAL ATTENDANCE AT COURT HAS +REAL ADVANTAGES.

ON SUCH AN INITIAL APPEARANCE, THE MAGISTRATE IS CONCERNED WITH MORE THAN MERELY FIXING DATES FOR A TRIAL, MR. HOELEY EXPLAINED.

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