XN000022-1980-11-11 — Page 5

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1980

+HOWEVER, MR IU SAID, THE FINAL SOLUTION MUST DEPEND ON THE CO-OPERATION AND GOOD SENSE OF THE PICNICKER ON THE SPOT.+

HE GAVE THE FOLLOWING ADVICE

* LIGHT BARBECUE FIRES ONLY IN DESIGNATED BARBECUE PITS-

* PROPERLY PUT OUT BARBECUE FIRES BEFORE LEAVING-

* DO NOT DISCARD BURNING CIGARETTE ENDS- AND

* TAKE EXTRA CARE DURING CHUNG YEUNG AND CHING MING.

MR IU WARNED: +ALTHOUGH WE MANAGED TO 'ESCAPE' THE CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL LAST MONTH WITHOUT GREAT LOSSES, THE REAL TEST OF THE 1980 FIRE SEASON IS STILL TO COME. +

WITH THE ONSET OF THE COOL DRY WEATHER, HE APPEALED TO

PEOPLE WHO WILL BE GOING TO THE COUNTRYSIDE FOR CAMPING, PICNICKING, HIKING AND BARBECUING TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH FIRE.

THERE HAS BEEN A RISING NUMBER OF SUCH VISITORS FROM HALF A MILLION IN 1970/71 TO OVER SEVEN MILLION IN 1979/80.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE COMPRISES REPRESENTATIVES OF THE EDUCATION, HOME AFFAIRS, LABOUR, INFORMATION SERVICES, AND AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION.

A PART OF THE COMMITTEE'S ON-GOING PROGRAMME HAS BEEN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A FIRE WATCH SCHEME WHEREBY SQUATTERS AND VILLAGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SET UP PATROL TEAMS TO HELP FIGHT THE FIRE MENACE.

A TOTAL OF 77 TEAMS HAS BEEN FORMED TO DATE.

HONG KONG ENTERS NEW ERA OF MANPOWER TRAINING

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HONG KONG IS ABOUT TO ENTER A NEW ERA IN MANPOWER TRAINING WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATUTORY BODY IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR (INDUSTRIAL TRAINING), MR HORACE KNIGHT, SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG NORTHWEST, MR KNIGHT POINTED OUT THAT THE STATUTORY BODY WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL TO ADMINISTER MANPOWER TRAINING.

IN ADDITION, THE COUNCIL HAD ALSO RECOMMENDED TO THE GOVERNMENT THE INTRODUCTION OF INDUSTRY-WIDE OFF-THE-JOB TRAINING SCHEMES FOR THE ELECTRONICS, PLASTICS AND TEXTILES INDUSTRIES AS WELL AS TRAINING SCHEMES FOR PROVIDING BASIC TRAINING IN KEY ENGINEERING TRADES AND POST-GRADUATE PRACTICAL TRAINING FOR ENGINEERING GRADUATES. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE AIMED AT MEETING THE NEEDS OF HONG KONG'S RAPIDLY CHANGING AND DYNAMIC ECONOMY.

/IN HIS