XN000022-1980-03-25 — Page 7

TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 1980

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+LEGISLATION ALONE IS NOT A PANACEA FOR PREVENTING INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS. MANAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY THOSE AT SENIOR LEVEL, MUST BE FULLY AWARE OF THE ADVANTAGES AND IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING A SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND SUITABLE SAFETY TRAINING FOR THEIR WORKERS, HE TOLD THE GATHERING.

ON WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION, MR HAMMOND SAID THE TOTAL AMOUNT PAID OUT UNDER THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE IN RESPECT OF OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS IN 1979 WAS IN EXCESS OF $35 MILLION,

WHEN INDIRECT COSTS WERE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, THE TOTAL LOSS TO EMPLOYERS COULD BE ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN IN THE REGION OF $175 MILLION,

ON THE PRESENT MAXIMUM LEVELS OF COMPENSATION PROVIDED UNDER THE ORDINANCE, MR HAMMOND POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS INTENDED TO RAISE THEM SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND TO MAKE VARIOUS OTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING THE SYSTEM OF ASSESSMENT AND SPEEDING UP THE PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING COMPENSATION.

THE INTRODUCTION OF COMPULSORY WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION INSURANCE WAS ALSO UNDER ACTIVE CONSIDERATION.

AT THE ONE-DAY CONFERENCE, THE PARTICIPANTS HEARD TALKS GIVEN BY NINE EXPERTS ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY IN CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING, TEXTILES, PLASTICS, METAL WORK AND OTHER RELATED SUBJECTS, WITH EMPHASIS ON PREVENTIVE MEASURES TO BE ADOPTED BY MANAGEMENTS TO REDUCE ACCIDENTS.

THEY ALSO SAW TWO SAFETY FILMS AND VISITED A MINI-EXHIBITION OF A WIDE RANGE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE IN HONG KONG.

FURTHER ISSUE OF 300 TAXI LICENCES

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WILL BE INVITING TENDERS FOR A FURTHER BATCH OF 300 HONG KONG AND KOWLOON TAXI LICENCES ON FRIDAY (MARCH 28).

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SAID THAT TENDER FORMS WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION FROM FRIDAY FROM EITHER THE HONG KONG LICENSING OFFICE, MEZZANINE FLOOR, MURRAY ROAD MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK, OR FROM THE KOWLOON LICENSING OFFICE, 9/F, PARK-IN COMMERCIAL CENTRE, DUNDAS STREET.

TENDER FORMS FOR THIS EXERCISE WILL BE BLUE IN COLOUR. THE SPOKESMAN ADVISED INTENDING TENDERERS NOT TO USE ANY OTHER TYPE OF FORMS ISSUED PREVIOUSLY, OR OTHERWISE THE IR TENDERS MAY BE DECLARED VOID.

AS ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, THE TENDER WILL BE IN THE FORM OF A PREMIUM IN RESPECT OF ONE OR MORE HONG KONG AND KOWLOON TAXIS.

THE SPOKESMAN