XN000022-1980-01-16 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1980

REFUSE COLLECTION FLEET IN NT TO GROW

*****

THERE ARE 83 COLLECTION VEHICLES IN USE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, OF WHICH 67 OR 81 PER CENT ARE OF THE REFUSE COMPACTING TYPE, THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HON DAVID AKERS-JONES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR AKERS-JONES SAID IT WAS THE INTENTION OF THE GOVERNMENT TO EXTEND THE USE OF COMPACTION TYPE REFUSE COLLECTION VEHICLES. SEVEN NEW VEHICLES WOULD BE DELIVERED IN THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR.

IN ADDITION, THE PURCHASE OF 17 VEHICLES HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN THE 1980/81 DRAFT ESTIMATES.

HE SAID THE EXISTING REFUSE COLLECTION FLEET INCLUDED TWO COMPACTION VEHICLES AND 11 TIPPER LORRIES HIRED FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE REFUSE COLLECTION VEHICLE WHICH HAD A CARRYING CAPACITY OF TWO TONS THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE FLEET VARIED BETWEEN THREE TO EIGHT TONS.

OF THE 83 VEHICLES, 31 VEHICLES OR 37 PER CENT WERE OVER FIVE YEARS OLD, 34 OR 41 PER CENT WERE BETWEEN TWO TO FIVE YEARS AND 18 OR 22 PER CENT WERE UNDER TWO YEARS OLD.

MR AKERS-JONES WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON CHARLES YEUNG CONCERNING THE NUMBER, TYPE, CAPACITY AND AGE OF REFUSE COLLECTING VEHICLES IN USE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO EXTEND THE USE OF REFUSE COMPACTING VEHICLES.

MORE MONEY INJECTED INTO PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME *****

MORE RAPID PROGRESS ON A NUMBER OF APPROVED PROJECTS AND THE UPGRADING OF ANOTHER TEN PROJECTS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME HAD REQUIRED THE SPENDING OF AN ADDITIONAL $136 MILLION IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.

THIS AMOUNT WAS MET BY SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS TOTALLING $180 MILLION FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1979/80 APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

ANOTHER MAJOR ITEM OF SUPPLEMENTARY EXPENDITURE WAS $16 MILLION TO MEET THE REVISED OPERATING COSTS OF THE DENTAL SCHOOL AND DENTAL TEACHING HOSPITAL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG AND FOR THE POLYTECHNIC'S MAIN BUILDING PROGRAMME.

ASKING FOR THE COVERING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNCIL FOR THESE SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE OFFSETTING SAVINGS OF $160 MILLION UNDER OTHER GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES. THE REMAINING $20 MILLION NOT OFFSET BY SAVINGS WAS REQUIRED TO MEET EXPENSES RELATING TO REFUGEES AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

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