XN000022-1979-12-07 — Page 4

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1979

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TEXTILE AGREEMENT WITH AUSTRIA REACHED

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FOLLOWING CONSULTATIONS IN GENEVA BETWEEN HONG KONG AND AUSTRIAN DELEGATIONS, AGREEMENT WAS REACHED YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) ON THREE ITEMS OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS EXPORTED TO AUSTRIA.

TWO ITEMS, WOVEN SHIRTS AND BLOUSES, ARE CURRENTLY SUBJECT TO RESTRAINT, BUT AGREEMENT HAS BEEN RENEWED FOR ANOTHER YEAR FROM FEBRUARY 1, 1980.

THE THIRD ITEM, WOVEN TROUSERS, WAS PREVIOUSLY ONLY SUBJECT TO EXPORT AUTHORISATION BUT WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT IT IS NOW SUBJECT TO RESTRAINT.

AT ITS MEETING TODAY THE TEXTILE ADVISORY BOARD EXAMINED AND ENDORSED THE AGREEMENT, THE DETAILS OF WHICH AND THE RULES FOR IMPLEMENTATION WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

39 COMMENDED FOR BRAVERY IN SEA RESCUE

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THIRTY-NINE PUBLIC-SPIRITED PEOPLE WERE COMMENDED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE, MR. MALCOLM ALEXANDER FOR THE IR BRAVERY IN SAVING LIFE AT SEA IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS.

OF THE RECIPIENTS OF THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE'S COMMENDATION, TWO ARE SAILORS OF YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY WHO EACH HAVE TWO RECORDS OF RESCUING PEOPLE LAST YEAR.

OF THESE,

THE OTHER RECIPIENTS INCLUDE EIGHT POLICE OFFICERS. FOUR WERE OFF-DUTY WHEN THEY SAVED A YOUTH FROM THE ROUGH SEA AT SHEK O ON AUGUST 25 WHEN BOTH THE RED FLAG AND TYPHOON SIGNAL WERE UP AND THE SEA WAS BUFFETED BY STRONG WINDS AND IMMERSED IN DARKNESS.

THE DIRECTOR'S COMMENDATION ALSO WENT TO SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, 18 OTHER CREW MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY, AND FOUR CREW MEMBERS OF THE STAR FERRY COMPANY.

SPEAKING AT THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY AT THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, MR. ALEXANDER PAID TRIBUTE TO THE RECIPIENTS AND SAID THEIR ACTIONS INDICATED NOT ONLY GREAT COURAGE, BUT ALSO PUBLIC SPIRITEDNESS OF A VERY HIGH ORDER, AND CONCERN FOR THOSE IN TROUBLE.

+THEY DID WHAT WAS NECESSARY DESPITE THE PERSONAL RISK

INVOLVED, MR. ALEXANDER SAID.

HE NOTED THAT ALL THE RESCUERS, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, ACTED SPONTANEOUSLY WHEN THE INCIDENTS IN WHICH THEY WERE INVOLVED OCCURRED, AND AS THEY PLUNGED INTO THE WATER, THERE CAN HAVE BEEN ONLY ONE THOUGHT UPPERMOST IN THEIR MINDS TO SAVE THE LIVES OF THOSE IN DISTRESS,+

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