XN000022-1979-10-31 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1979

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ONE RESULT OF THIS HAS BEEN THAT OUR BILATERAL TRADE WITH OUR MAIN TRADING PARTNERS HAS RARELY BEEN ANYWHERE NEAR IN BALANCE, AND WHILE WE MAY BE QUITE RELAXED ABOUT THIS LACK OF BALANCE, THE SAME VIEW IS NOT ALWAYS TAKEN ABROAD.

HE SAID HE WOULD NOT DREAM OF SUGGESTING THAT WE SHOULD DEVIATE FROM OUR FREE TRADE PHILOSOPHY OR TRY TO CONTROL THE SOURCE OF OUR PURCHASES.

+1 DO, HOWEVER, THINK THAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT THE IR PRESENT BUYING PATTERN TO SEE WHETHER THEY ARE IN FACT STILL BUYING FROM THE MOST COMPETITIVE SOURCES, HE STRESSED.

FIRE PREVENTION CHECK IN YUEN LONG

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FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU OFFICERS TODAY (WEDNESDAY) MADE A SURPRISE CHECK ON 16 BUILDINGS CHOSEN AT RANDOM IN THE RESIDENTIAL AREA OF YUEN LONG IN AN EFFORT TO REMOVE POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARDS.

DURING THE THREE-HOUR INSPECTION THE PARTY LED BY DIVISIONAL OFFICER, MR. KWAN SAI YIU, DISCOVERED 37 UNREGISTERED GARAGES OPERATING IN THE AREA, A FIRE SERVICES SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY.

HE NOTED THAT THE GARAGES HAD BREACHED THE LEASE CONDITIONS BY OPERATING IN SHOP PREMISES AND THE CASES WOULD BE REFERRED TO THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION AND LABOUR DEPARTMENT FOR ACTION.

THE OFFICERS ALSO FOUND MANY CASES OF ILLEGAL PARKING AND PAVEMENT OBSTRUCTIONS IN MA MIU ROAD AND MA WANG ROAD WHICH WOULD CAUSE A SEVERE OBSTRUCTION TO FIRE APPLIANCES IF A FIRE BROKE OUT. THE SITUATION WOULD BE REFERRED TO THE POLICE AND THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION FOR ACTION.

ILLEGAL ADDITIONS OR EXTENSIONS IN BUILDINGS WERE ALSO DISCOVERED. THESE INCLUDED 10 ROOFTOP STRUCTURES, 22 SWING-TYPE METAL GATES AND TWO METAL CAGES. FURTHERMORE, EIGHT SMOKE LOBBY DOORS WERE FOUND MISSING.

+SINCE THE BUILDINGS WERE BUILT AFTER AUGUST 1, 1975 THE CASES WOULD BE REFERRED TO THE BUILDING ENFORCEMENT UNIT OF BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE FOR ACTION,+ SAID THE SPOKESMAN.

THE SPOKESMAN ADVISED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT FUTURE COMPLAINTS IN RESPECT OF ALTERATIONS IN BUILDINGS OCCUPIED ON OR AFTER AUGUST 1, 1975 SHOULD BE REFERRED TO BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE FOR ACTION.

HE SAID THAT FIVE FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES HAVE BEEN ISSUED, FOUR OF WHICH CONCERN MINOR OBSTRUCTIONS TO MEANS OF ESCAPE. THE OTHER NOTICE WAS ISSUED AGAINST THE OPERATOR OF A RUBBER TYRE SHOP FOR STORING IN EXCESS OF THE PERMITTED QUANTITY OF 50 TYRES.

THE TEAM ALSO INSPECTED FOUR DANGEROUS GOODS SHOPS, NINE FACTOR IES IN DOMESTIC BUILDINGS, AND ONE TIMBER STORE.

MR. KWAN SAID AFTER THE INSPECTION THE GENERAL FIRE PREVENTION SITUATION IN THE AREA WAS QUITE SATISFACTORY.

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