XN000022-1980-03-28 — Page 10

FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 1980

GRAVE-SWEEPERS WARNED OF SWINDLERS

****

VISITORS TO GRAVES IN NEW TERRITORIES PUBLIC CEMETERIES ARE TODAY WARNED THAT THEY MIGHT BE APPROACHED BY SWINDLERS IMPERSONATING GOVERNMENT CEMETERY STAFF.

WITH CHING MING FESTIVAL JUST A FEW DAYS AWAY, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NT SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID THERE HAD BEEN REPORTS OF PEOPLE IMPERSONATING MTSD STAFF OFFERING TO EXHUME BONES AT EXORBITANT FEES.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY VISITORS TO GRAVES THAT THEY HAD BEEN APPROACHED BY PEOPLE CLAIMING TO BE CEMETERY STAFF AND THAT THEIR ANCESTOR'S GRAVES WERE DUE FOR EXHUMATION. THESE PEOPLE THEN OFFERED TO EXHUME THE REMAINS FOR AN EXORBITANT PRICE.+

THERE WERE ALSO REPORTED CASES WHERE PEOPLE WHO WENT TO SWEEP GRAVES HAD GIVEN PARTICULARS TO THESE IMPERSONATORS AND, FOR FEAR OF FUTURE TROUBLE, HAD ACCEPTED OFFERS TO EXHUME ONLY TO FIND OUT LATER THAT THEY HAD BEEN CHEATED.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE NTSD NEITHER OPERATES A PAID SERVICE FOR ANY PRIVATE EXHUMATION IN ANY PUBLIC CEMETERY, NOR SETS ANY SCALE OF CHARGES AND HAS APPOINTED NO CONTRACTORS TO PROVIDE SUCH A SERVICE.

+OUR STAFF ARE ALWAYS IN UNIFORM AND CARRY THEIR DEPARTMENTAL IDENTITY CARDS, HE SAID.

+IF GRAVE-VISITORS ARE APPROACHED BY UNDESIRABLE OR SUSPECTED CHARACTERS, THEY SHOULD REPORT IMMEDIATELY TO THE POLICE POSTED AT THE CEMETERY OR TO THE CEMETERY OFFICE.+

MEANWHILE THE SPOKESMAN ANNOUNCED THAT A NOTICE OF INTENTION TO REMOVE AND DISPOSE OF HUMAN REMAINS THAT WERE BURIED IN CHEUNG CHAU, SANDY RIDGE AND WO HOP SHEK CEMETERIES IN 1973 WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE BEFORE CHING MING FESTIVAL.

HE REMINDED ANYONE REQUIRING EXHUMATION OF BURIED REMAINS THAT THEY SHOULD APPLY IN ADVANCE FOR A PERMIT AT $25 FROM THE DEPARTMENT'S CEMETERIES AND CREMATORIUM OFFICE AT 6, CHEONG HANG ROAD,HUNG HOM.

IT IS EXPECTED THAT MORE THAN 80 000 PEOPLE WILL 60 TO THE CEMETERIES TO PAY HOMAGE TO THEIR ANCESTORS DURING THE COMING CHING MING FESTIVAL.

THEY ARE REQUESTED TO KEEP THE CEMETERIES CLEAN DURING THEIR

VISIT.

/10

Page 10Page 11