XN000022-1978-06-22 — Page 7

THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 1978

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FIRE BOAT VISITS TOLO HARBOUR

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THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S SECOND LARGEST FIRE BOAT TODAY COMPLETED A FOUR-DAY FAMILIARISATION VISIT TO TOLO HARBOUR DURING WHICH FIRE FIGHTING EXERCISES INVOLVING PERSONNEL OF THE NEW TERRITORIES FIRE COMMAND WERE HELD.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE VISIT BY FIRE BOAT NO. 2 - THE FIRST BY SUCH A LARGE VESSEL OF THE DEPARTMENT WAS TO GIVE FIREMEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO FAMILIARISE THEMSELVES WITH THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE AREA AS WELL AS TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEMS THEY MAY FACE IN THE EVENT OF A MAJOR FIRE THERE.

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE PRESENCE OF FIRE BOAT NO. 2 IN TOLO HARBOUR ALSO ASSURED THE PEOPLE IN THE AREA THAT FIRE BOATS COULD BE DEPLOYED THERE WHEN NECESSARY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE.

WHEN FIRE BOAT NO. 2 FIRST ARRIVED AT TAI PO ON MONDAY, MORE THAN TEN VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVES FROM YUEN CHAU TSAI, SAM MUN TSAI, TAI PO, TING KOK AND SHA TAU KOK WERE INVITED TO INSPECT THE EQUIPMENT ON THE VESSEL.

THEY ALSO LEARNED ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE FIRE BOAT IN FIRE FIGHTING OPERATIONS.

DEPARTURE OF COMMISSIONER OF BANKING

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THE COMMISSIONER OF BANKING, MR. A.D. OCKENDEN, LEAVES HONG KONG ON JULY 6 ON COMPLETION OF HIS AGREEMENT. HIS DUTIES WILL BE TAKEN OVER BY MR. C.D.W. "ARTIN, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF BANKING.

THE POST OF ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF BANKING WILL BE TAKEN OVER BY MR. LEUNG CHUN-SHING, CHIEF BANK EXAMINER.

MR. OCKENDEN, AGED 50, WAS SECONDED TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FROM THE BANK OF ENGLAND 1* 1973 AS PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT FINANCIAL SECRETARY AND WAS PROMOTED TO COMMISSIONER OF BANKING THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

HE HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT PAPT IN DEVELOPING GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE BANKING COMMUNITY AND HAS MADE A SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE GROWTH OF HONG KONG AS A FINANCIAL CENTRE. HE PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THE DRAFTING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES ORDINANCE.

MR. OCKENDEN WAS AWARDED AN 0.B.E. IN 1977. DURING THEIR STAY IN HONG KONG, MP. AND MRS. OCKENDEN HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.