XN000022-1979-10-25 — Page 4

THERSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1979

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MR. ALEXANDER SAID: +LABOUR AND FUEL COSTS OF THE HARBOUR CLEANSING SERVICE IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE FROM THIS YEAR'S $2.6 MILLION TO AN ESTIMATED $4.2 MILLION IN 1980/81.+ HE POINTED OUT THAT IN THE LONG TERM MECHANISATION WOULD NOT ONLY SAVE MONEY BUT ALSO PROVIDE A MORE EFFICIENT WAY OF COLLECTING MARINE REFUSE.

MR. ALEXANDER ALSO NOTED THAT DUE TO THE RECENT INCREASE IN RECLAMATION WORK AND BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN URBAN AREAS, THE QUANTITY OF MARINE REFUSE HAD INCREASED, ADDING TO THE HEAVY BURDEN ON THE PRESENT REFUSE COLLECTION SYSTEM.

CURRENTLY, MARINE REFUSE IS COLLECTED BY MEANS OF 12 SMALL FLEET, EACH CONSISTING OF ONE MOTOR CARGO-BOAT AND THREE SAMPANS. THE MARINE DEPARTMENT ALSO HAS TWO MECHANICAL REFUSE COLLECTION VESSELS, THE WATER WITCH✦ AND THE HARBOUR SWEEPER+ ON TRIAL,

THE +WATER WITCH+ CAN BE DESCRIBED AS A FLOATING BULLDOZER AND IS CONSIDERED TO BE HIGHLY EFFICIENT WHEN OPERATING IN SHELTERED WATERS. HOWEVER ITS EFFICIENCY DEPENDS UPON PROPER REFUSE RECEPTION FACILITIES ON SITE.

THE HARBOUR SWEEPER+ IS HIRED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT'S POLLUTION CONTROL UNIT FROM HONG KONG SHIPYARD LTD. IT IS IDEALLY SUITED FOR OPERATION IN OPEN WATERS AS IT IS SELF-SUFFICIENT.

COUNTRYSIDE AND GRAVEYARD VISITORS URGED TO PREVENT OUTBREAKS OF FIRE

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THE FIRE SERVICES TODAY (THURSDAY) APPEALED TO VISITORS TO GRAVEYARDS AND THE COUNTRYSIDE DURING THE CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL TO TAKE EVERY POSSIBLE PRECAUTION TO PREVENT OUTBREAKS OF FIRE.

+ IN VIEW OF THE PRESENT DRY SPELL COUPLED WITH LARGE CROWDS FLOCKING TO GRAVEYARDS AND THE COUNTRYSIDE DURING THE WEEKEND, THE CHANCES FOR FIRE BREAKING OUT ARE VERY HIGH, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT WARNED.

*THEREFORE, THE PUBLIC ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO KEEP THE RISKS OF FIRE TO A MINIMUM, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID SMOKERS AND GRAVEYARD-VISITORS SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT CIGARETTE ENDS AND MATCHES WERE PROPERLY EXTINGUISHED BEFORE DISPOSAL, AND THAT ALL LIGHTED CANDLES. JOSS-STICKS AND JOSS-PAPERS WERE PUT OUT BEFORE LEAVING THE AREAS.

MANY HILL FIRES OCCURRED DURING PAST FESTIVALS WERE DUE TO THE CARELESS HANDLING OF CANDLES, JOSS-STICKS AND JOSS-PAPERS, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE NUMBER OF HILL FIRES SO FAR THIS MONTH HAD NEARLY DOUBLED AS COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

/+BETWEEN OCTOBER