XN000022-1979-12-17 — Page 3

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1979

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+ONE OF THE AIMS OF THE SERVICE THIS YEAR. HAS BEEN TO MOVE SOME OF ITS OLDER BRANCH OFFICES FROM UPPER FLOORS TO MORE EASILY ACCESSIBLE SHOP SPACES ON THE GROUND FLOOR, FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF JOB-SEEKERS AND EMPLOYERS WHO MAKE USE OF ITS SERVICES.

+THE TSUEN WAN BRANCH OFFICE, ORIGINALLY LOCATED ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE CHARTERED BANK BUILDING, IS THE FIRST OF THOSE OLDER BRANCH OFFICES TO BE MOVED, HE ADDED.

MR. HENDERSON EMPHASISED THAT AN EMPLOYMENT SERVICE BY ITSELF COULD NOT AND DID NOT CREATE JOBS ANY MORE THAN IT COULD CREATE WORKERS IN TIMES OF LABOUR SHORTAGE. WHAT IT COULD DO WAS TO MATCH JOB-SEEKERS WITH VACANCIES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

STRESSING THAT SUCCESS DEPENDED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF VACANCIES NOTIFIED BY EMPLOYERS AND THE TYPES OF JOB-SEEKERS REGISTERED, MR. HENDERSON EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THEY WOULD BOTH MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE FREE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE NEW OFFICE.

EARLIER, MR. HENDERSON AND TWO LEADERS OF THE TSUEN WAN COMMUNITY, MR. LAM KIN-MING, UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE TSUEN WAN DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD, AND MR. TANG YUEN-PUI, CHAIRMAN OF THE TSING YI RURAL COMMITEE, OFFICIATED AT THE OPENING OF THE NEW OFFICE BY PERFORMING A RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY.

THE OPENING CEREMONY WAS ROUNDED OFF WITH A TEA RECEPTION AND A LION DANCE.

MORE PATROLS JOIN FIRE WATCH SCHEME *****

ANOTHER 24 SQUATTER AREAS AND VILLAGES HAVE FORMED THEIR OWN FIRE WATCH PATROLS TO PROTECT THE LIFE AND PROPERTIES OF THOSE LIVING IN THEIR AREAS.

THEIR FORMATION NEARLY DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF PATROLS ALREADY PARTICIPATING IN THE FIRE WATCH SCHEME. THERE ARE NOW 50 SUCH TEAMS COVERING DENSELY POPULATED AREAS.

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THE SCHEME, FIRST INTRODUCED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR AS PART OF THE FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN, AIMS TO GET RESIDENTS IN SQUATTER AREAS AND VILLAGES MORE INVOLVED IN FIRE PRECAUTION MEASURES.

THE PATROLS ARE FORMED BY VOLUNTEERS WITHIN THE LOCAL AREAS. THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT RECOGNISES THEIR USEFULNESS AND PROVIDES ALL THE NECESSARY TRAINING FOR THEIR MEMBERS.

THROUGH THIS TRAINING, MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO DEVISE EVACUATION PLANS IN CASE OF FIRE AND RECOGNISE FIRE HAZARDS.

DURING THEIR ACTUAL PATROLS THEY REMOVE ITEMS BLOCKING FIRE EXITS AND ADVISE THEIR NEIGHBOURS OF DANGEROUS PRACTICES WHICH CAN GIVE RISE TO A FIRE. SHOULD THERE BE ONE, THEY QUICKLY ALERT THE FIRE SERVICES AND THE POLICE AND HELP OTHER RESIDENTS TO EVACUATE.

/IF NECESSARY