XN000022-1979-04-11 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1979

RE-INTRODUCTION OF 1973-74 FUEL-SAVING

MEASURES BEING STUDIED

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AS PART OF ITS CAMPAIGN TO SAVE FUEL, THE GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF RE-INTRODUCING SOME OF THE MEASURES ADOPTED DURING THE 1973-74 ENERGY CRISIS.

+WE HAD AT THAT TIME A BAN ON DISPLAY -- - ADVERTISING, LIGHTS, NEON LIGHTS AND THAT SORT OF THING WITHIN CERTAIN STIPULATED HOURS, SAID MR. A.L. PURVES, THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF INDUSTRY WHEN HE APPEARED ON RTHK'S VIEWPOINT TELEVISION PROGRAMME THIS (WEDNESDAY) EVENING.

WITH HIM ON THE PROGRAMME WERE MR. S.J. OSMOND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SHELL COMPANY OF HONG KONG LTD: AND A MEMBER OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S OIL POLICY COMMITTEE AND MR. ALAN ARMITAGE, A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE CONSUMERS.

MR. PURVES SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO THINKING OF REQUIRING THERMOSTATS IN THE AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEMS

IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS TO BE SET AT 26 DEGREES CELS FUS WHICH, HE SAID, WOULD NOT BE AN UNCOMFORTABLE TEMPERATURE.

THE ELECTRICITY GENERATING STATIONS, HE NOTED, WILL BE CUTTING BACK THEIR SPINNING RESERVES BY A LITTLE AND, THROUGH THESE MEASURES AND ALSO PERHAPS DAYLIGHT SAVING, A CÚT BACK OF FIVE PER CENT WOULD BE ACHIEVED WHICH IS WHAT THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY IS ASKING OTHER COUNTRIES TO DO.

MR. PURVES ALSO SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S OIL POLICY COMMITTEE, OF WHICH HE AND MR. OSMOND ARE MEMBERS, ARE MEETING DAILY TO REVIEW THE OIL SITUATION.

+WE'VE STARTED A PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN, THE INTENTION OF WHICH IS TO ASK PEOPLE TO SAVE ELECTRICITY VOLUNTARILY AND THROUGH THAT TO SAVE FUEL OIL BECAUSE FUEL OIL IS THE ONE OIL WHICH WE THINK WE COULD DO WITH CUTTING BACK ON CONSUMPTION,+ MR. PURVES SAID.

EARLIER, MR. OSMOND SAID THE OIL SITUATION IN HONG KONG WAS TIGHT BUT NOT SERIOUS.

+FOR MOST PRODUCTS, I THINK IT IS QUITE MANAGEABLE AT PRESENT. BUT SHORTAGES ARE BEGINNING TO APPEAR

MAINLY IN THE AREAS OF FUEL OIL FOR SHIPS AND ELECTRICITY AND PARTIALLY FOR INDUSTRY, HE SAID.

THERE WAS ALSO A SHORTAGE OF NAPTHA AND SOME SHORTAGES IN PETROCHEMICAL PRODUCTS,

IN SPITE OF THIS, MR. OSMOND SAID HE DID NOT THINK_THAT HONG KONG WOULD BE IN A POSITION WHERE PEOPLE WOULD BE TOLD: *SORRY THE PUMPS ARE EMPTY AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.+

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