XN000022-1980-10-11 — Page 6

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1980

GRAVE WORSHIPPERS WARNED AGAINST SWINDLERS

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GRAVE WORSHIPPERS GOING TO PUBLIC CEMETERIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES DURING THE CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL ARE ADVISED TO BE ON GUARD AGAINST SWINDLERS SOLICITING EXORBITANT CHARGES FOR EXHUMING HUMAN REMAINS.

IN MAKING THE WARNING, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID: NO SERVICES FOR EXHUMATION OF HUMAN REMAINS ARE PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO THE PUBLIC.

+NO STAFF MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT ARE ALLOWED TO CARRY OUT SUCH SERVICES AND IT IS ALSO A CRIMINAL OFFENCE FOR A GOVERNMENT SERVANT TO SOLICIT OR ACCEPT ANY ADVANTAGE.

+APART FROM THAT, NO CONTRACTORS HAVE BEEN APPOINTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO OPERATE A PAID SERVICE FOR ANY PRIVATE EXHUMATION IN ALL PUBLIC CEMETERIES,+ THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

HE RECALLED THAT A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED EARLY THIS YEAR AGAINST RACKETEERS POSING AS STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT AND OFFERING THE SERVICE AT AN UNREASONABLY HIGH FEE.

ON THE EXHUMATION OF HUMAN REMAINS UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND URBAN SERVICES ORDINANCE, A GOVERNMENT GAZETTE NOTICE HAD EARLIER ANNOUNCED THAT THE REMAINS OF THOSE INTERRED IN PUBLIC CEMETERIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES IN 1973 ARE DUE FOR REMOVAL THIS YEAR.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN ARRANGE, THROUGH A FUNERAL PARLOUR OR UNDERTAKER, TO HAVE THE REMAINS OF THEIR ANCESTORS EXHUMED AND EITHER CRÉMATED OR REBURIED IN AN URN GRAVE IN THE WO HOP SHEK, SANDY RIDGE AND CHEUNG CHAU CEMETERIES.

AN EXHUMATION PERMIT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S CEMETERIES AND CREMATORIA OFFICE AT NO. 6, CHEONG HANG ROAD, HONG KONG.

THE SPOKESMAN ALSO URGED GRAVE VISITORS TO HELP PREVENT FIRE OUTBREAK IN CEMETERIES.

A TOTAL OF 145 FIRES WERE CAUSED BY GRAVE WORSHIPPERS OVER A THREE-DAY PERIOD DURING THE LAST CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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*A