XN000022-1981-02-01 — Page 6

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1981

THE SPOKESMAN SAID, THE DANGER OF FIRE WILL BE CONSIDERABLY MINIMISED IF THESE SIMPLE SAFETY HINTS ARE HEEDED. I NOW APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR CO-OPERATION TO ENSURE A FIRE-FREE NEW YEAR.+

APART FROM FIRE PRECAUTIONS AT HOME, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT EQUAL ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID TO PREVENTING HILL FIRES.

HE SAID: +PICNICKERS AND VISITORS TO THE COUNTRYSIDE SHOULD BARBECUE IN DESIGNATED AREAS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT ALL FIRES ARE PROPERLY EXTINGUISHED BEFORE LEAVING.+

HE ALSO REMINDED THAT A BAN ON THE USE OF FIRE WAS ALREADY IN FORCE IN THE PAT HEUNG AREA OF THE TAI LAM COUNTRY PARK AND THE TAI PO KAU NATURE RESERVE AREA.

PEOPLE PLANNING TO VISIT ANY OF THESE COUNTRY PARKS ARE ADVISED TO TAKE ALONG SANDWICHES OR PRE-COOKED FOOD.

+CAUSING A FIRE IN A COUNTRY PARK OR ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE WILL LEAD TO MAXIMUM FINES OF $5 000 AND $2 000 RESPECTIVELY, THE SPOKESMAN WARNED.

$493 MILLION SOCIAL SECURITY PAYOUT IN 1980

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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT PAID OUT $493 MILLION IN NON-CONTRIBUTORY SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS LAST YEAR TO PEOPLE IN NEED - $72 MILLION MORE THAN IN 1979.

THE CASH GRANTS, REPRESENTING AN AVERAGE DAILY PAYOUT OF $1.4 MILLION, WENT TO SOME 300 000 PEOPLE AS PUBLIC ASSISTANCE TO MEET BASIC LIVING AND AS OLD AGE AND DISABILITY ALLOWANCES TO COVER SPECIAL NEEDS.

IN DECEMBER ALONE, PAYMENTS IN PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCES AMOUNTED TO $48.1 MILLION.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) THE INCREASED PAYOUT RESULTED FROM THE 22 PER CENT INCREASE IN PAYMENT RATES INTRODUCED LAST SEPTEMBER.

HE SAID THAT OF THE $493 MILLION PAID OUT IN 1980, $211 MILLION WERE FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, $209 MILLION FOR OLD AGE ALLOWANCE AND $73 MILLION FOR DISABILITY ALLOWANCE.

AT PRESENT, HE SAID, THE DEPARTMENT'S 26 SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNITS HANDLE 45 600 PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CASES, 155 600 OLD AGE ALLOWANCE CASES AND 27 800 DISABILITY ALLOWANCE CASES.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT OF THE TOTAL PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CASELOAD, ABOUT 300 CASES WERE UNEMPLOYED ABLE-BODIED ADULTS UNABLE TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES THROUGH NO FAULT OF THIER OWN.

/HE SADD