XN000022-1979-03-29 — Page 19

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THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 1979

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CONSULTANTS ENGAGED FOR REPLACEMENT AIRPORT STUDIES

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS ENGAGED CONSULTANTS TO PREPARE AN AIRPORT LAYOUT PLAN FOR A POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT AIRPORT FOR HONG KONG IN THE VICINITY OF CHEK LAP KOK ISLAND OFF NORTH LANTAU.

AN AGREEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED WITH THE AMERICAN CONSULTANTS, PARSONS OVERSEAS COMPANY OF PASEDENA, WHO WILL BE CARRYING OUT THE STUDY IN ASSOCIATION WITH WILBUR SMITH AND ASSOCIATES, THE GOLLINS MELVIN WARD PARTNERSHIP AND THE UNITED KINGDOM CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY.

MR. B.D. KEEP, THE DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION, SIGNED THE AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND MR. JOHN N. FEHRER, CONTRACTS MANAGER, ON BEHALF OF THE CONSULTANTS,

THE CONSULTANCY INCLUDES A STUDY OF THE FEASIBILITY OF AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS AT THE PROPOSED SITE, A COST ESTIMATE FOR THE LAND FORMATION BASED ON THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT SITE INVESTIGATION STUDIES AND A CONCEPTUAL AIRPORT LAYOUT SHOWING THE DISPOSITION OF RUNWAYS, TERMINAL BUILDING AND OTHER AIRPORT FACILITIES.

+THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE CONSULTANTS IS AN ESSENTIAL STEP TO TAKE AS THE IR PLANNING INVESTIGATION WORK WILL HELP THE GOVERNMENT IN REACHING ITS DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO BUILD AN AIRPORT TO REPLACE KAI TAK, + A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

WITH THE PRESENT RATE OF GROWTH IN AIR TRAFFIC, THE PRESENT AIRPORT WILL REACH ITS CAPACITY IN THE MID-1980S. THEREAFTER, KAI TAK WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE AIR TRAFFIC DEMAND WITHOUT INTRODUCING CONSTRAINTS ON THE AIRLINES AND/OR PASSENGERS PLUS CARGO WHICH COULD RESULT IN ECONOMIC DISBENEFITS TO HONG KONG.

+TO BUILD A REPLACEMENT AIRPORT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES EXAMINED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO MAINTAIN THE BENEF ITS OF AVIATION TO HONG KONG, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE CONSULTANTS WILL TAKE ABOUT 10 MONTHS TO COMPLETE THE WORK AT WHICH TIME THE STUDIES, TOGETHER WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION, WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNMENT EARLY NEXT YEAR FOR TOTAL CONSIDERATION.

FACTORY PROPRIETORS REMINDED TO KEEP REGISTER OF WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS

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FACTORY PROPRIETORS WERE TODAY (THURSDAY) AGAIN REMINDED TO MAINTAIN A PROPER REGISTER OF ALL THE WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS EMPLOYED IN THE IR ESTABLISHMENTS OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT FACE PROSECUTION FOR CONTRAVEN ING THE FACTOR IES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS REGULATIONS.

THE REMINDER