XN000022-1981-01-24 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 1981

THE CENTRE IS OPEN FOR USE BY OTHER ORGANISATIONS UPON APPLICATION TO THE ASSOCIATION, A NON-PROFIT MAKING BODY ESTABLISHED IN JANUARY, 1971.

ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY THE ASSOCIATION INCLUDE THE ANNUAL TOLO HARBOUR CANOE RACES, ROCK CLIMBING, FIKING AND SAILING.

VERSATILE SWEEPERS PUT ON NT ROADS

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A FLEET OF FIVE NEW SUCTION ROAD SWEEPERS HAVE ARRIVED FROM ENGLAND TO REINFORCE CLEANSING SERVICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE VERSATILE MACHINES, WHICH WERE PUT ON THE ROAD TODAY (SATURDAY), WERE THE FIRST BATCH OF MORE THAN 100 VEHICLES ASSIGNED FOR DIFFERENT CLEANSING ROLES UNDER A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR MODERNISATION PROGRAMME OF THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THE MODERNISATION SCHEME WAS AIMED AT IMPROVING THE CLEANSING SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE NEW TOWNS AND RURAL AREAS TO KEEP PACE WITH THE RAPID DEVELOPMENTS THERE, AND TO STREAMLINE THE OPERATIONS OF THE NTSD.

+WE HOPE TO GET SOME 80 BRAND NEW REFUSE COLLECTORS, STREET WASHERS, SUCTION ROAD SWEEPERS, DESLUDGERS AND AN EXPERIMENTAL COMPLEMENT OF VEHICLES FOR USE ON NARROW PATHS, BEFORE THE START OF THE SECOND KEEP HONG KONG CLEAN CAMPAIGN TO BE LAUNCHED TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE SUCTION SWEEPERS WOULD BE COMPLETELY NEW TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ALTHOUGH THREE OTHER STREET SWEEPER MACHINES WERE ALREADY IN OPERATION ON NT HIGHWAYS.

THE LABOUR-SAVING DEVICE, EQUIPPED WITH A GUTTER BRUSH, SUCTION HOSE AND NOZZLE, WILL BE MAINLY EMPLOYED ON THE HIGHWAYS WHERE MANUAL SWEEPING IS DANGEROUS AND NOT PRACTICABLE.

IT HAS A DUAL SWEEPING EQUIPMENT WHICH ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE FROM EITHER SIDE AND SWEEP A 1.07-METRE WIDE PATH FROM EITHER THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT KERB.

TWO SETS OF STEEL WIRE BRUSH CAN REMOVE ALL DEBRIS FROM THE ROAD SURFACE WITH THE HELP OF A HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED SUCTION HOSE.

ANOTHER SUCTION HOSE WITH A NOZZLE FIXED TO THE DIRT CONTAINER CAN CARRY OUT SPECIAL CLEANSING DUTIES SUCH AS EMPTYING GULLIES.

THE DIRT CONTAINER HAS A CAPACITY OF 6.12 CUBIC METRES. A TANK CAN STORE 900 LITRES OF WATER WHICH CAN BE SPRAYED ONTO THE ROAD SURFACE WHILE THE BRUSHING IS PROCEEDING TO HOLD DOWN ANY DUST.

THE MECHANICAL SWEEPERS WILL BE USED TO CLEAN MORE THAN 220 KILOMETRES OF ROADS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.