XN000022-1980-07-09 — Page 35

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1980

33

REFUSE COLLECTION POINTS IN NT

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THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON DEREK JONES, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY} THAT THERE WERE 33 NEW PURPOSE-BUILT OFF-STREET REFUSE COLLECTION POINTS IN THE NEW TOWNS AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT AREAS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, AND A FURTHER 46 WERE IN THE PUBLIC WORKS CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME

MR JONES, REPLYING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON CHARLES YEUNG, SAID SELF-CONTAINED REFUSE COLLECTION POINTS WERE ALSO INCORPORATED INTO NEW MARKET PROJECTS AND INTO COOKED FOOD CENTRES WHERE THIS COULD BE DONE.

+IN ADDITION, THERE ARE OVER 300 MINOR REFUSE COLLECTION POINTS IN VARIOUS RURAL AREAS WHICH HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED WITH LOCAL PUBLIC WORKS AND CLEANSING FUNDS, MR JONES SAID.

+ALTHOUGH MANY OF THESE ARE RELATIVELY SIMPLE AND RUDIMENTARY, THERE ARE PLANS TO IMPROVE THEIR STANDARDS BY THE PROVISION, WHERE POSSIBLE, OF WATER SUPPLY FOR CLEANSING AFTER THE RUBBISH HAS BEEN REMOVED AND BY ROOFING OVER THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURES, HE ADDED.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT WAS ALSO STRENGTHENING SUPERVISORY CONTROL OVER ITS CLEANSING STAFF TO MAINTAINING A HIGH STANDARD OF SERVICE- AND ADDITIONAL REFUSE COLLECTION VEHICLES ARE BEING SOUGHT TO HELP MOVE REFUSE FROM THE COLLECTION POINTS MORE QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.

ENQUIRY INTO RADIO-OPERATED TOYS

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THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY HAS STARTED AN ENQUIRY AS TO WHETHER THERE COULD BE A MODIFICATION OF THE PRESENT PROHIBITION AND LICENSING OF RADIO-OPERATED TOYS, THE ACTING FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON D.G. JEAFFRESON, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON ANDREW SO, HE SAID THE PRESENT LICENSING SYSTEM HAD A CLEAR AND IMPORTANT OBJECT IN PROTECTING RADIO NETWORKS OPERATED BY ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

BUT, HE ADDED, IN RECENT YEARS THERE WERE AVAILABLE AN INCREASING NUMBER OF TOYS WHICH HAD A LOW RADIO TRANSMITTING POWER AND WERE UNLIKELY TO CAUSE SERIOUS INTERFERENCE.

MR JEAFFRESON SAID HE DID NOT EXPECT RESULTS OF THE ENQUIRY UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR,