XN000022-1979-07-04 — Page 19

WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 1979

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SOLAR ENERGY REPORT BEING STUDIED

*****

THE LATEST REPORT BY THE CONSULTANT, COMMISSIONED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF UTILISING SOLAR ENERGY, IS CURRENTLY UNDER STUDY.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON. WILLIAM BELL, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR. BELL SAID THAT THE INVESTIGATIONS RELATED TO THE HEATING OF BATH HOUSES AS WELL AS SWIMMING POOLS.

HOWEVER, HE ADDED THAT THERE ARE NO PLANS FOR ANY FURTHER WORK IN THIS FIELD AT THE PRESENT TIME.

MR. BELL SAID THAT SOLAR ENERGY HAD NOT SO FAR BEEN UTILISED IN ANY PUBLIC-FINANCED PROJECT.

AS EARLY AS 1969, HE RECALLED

HE RECALLED, AN INVESTIGATION WAS UNDERTAKEN TO ASSESS THE POSSIBILITY OF HEATING SWIMMING POOLS BY SOLAR ENERGY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, BUT THE RESULTS WERE UNFAVOURABLE IN ECONOMIC TERMS IN RELATION TO THE COST OF FUEL PREVAILING AT THAT TIME.

CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTIES WERE ALSO EXPERIENCED WITH THE PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF THE SCHEME AS A RESULT OF INSUFFICIENT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT, MR. BELL SAID.

UPROOTED TREES ARE REPLANTED *****

WHEN IT IS NECESSARY TO REMOVE OR FELL TREES IN THE COURSE OF PRIVATE OR PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT, EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO ENSURE THAT THE TREES REMOVED ARE REPLANTED ELSEWHERE, OR REPLACED BY NEW PLANTINGS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. GRAHAM BARNES, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE REV. THE HON. JOYCE M. BENNETT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

+IT IS GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TO PROTECT TREES FROM DESTRUCTION WHEREVER POSSIBLE, HE SAID.

HE EMPHASISED THAT NO SUBSTANTIAL TREES ON CROWN LAND MAY BE CUT DOWN WITHOUT BEING SUBJECTED TO A FORMAL AND VERY CRITICAL PROCEDURE.

BETWEEN APRIL 1, 1978 AND MARCH 31, 1979, ABOUT 1,800 TREES WERE FELLED.

+REPLANTING CANNOT ALWAYS BE CARRIED OUT ON A TREE FOR TREE BASIS, BUT A TOTAL OF 920 TREES WERE REPLANTED IN THE SAME PERIOD,+ MR. BARNES SAID.

/+IN ADDITION,

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