XN000022-1981-07-13 — Page 6

MONDAY, JULY 13, 1981

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THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS ON CONSTRUCTION SITES IN HONG KONG WAS STILL TOO HIGH.

+AGAIN SOME CONTROLLING MEASURES HAVE ALREADY PASSED THROUGH OUR LEGISLATURE AND MORE WILL BE INTRODUCED IN THE FUTURE BUT LEGISLATION ALONE IS NOT THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM, HE SAID.

+ IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL CONCERNED WITH WORK SITES TO EARNESTLY ENDEAVOUR TO REDUCE THE ACCIDENT RATE AND PREVENT THE MISERY THAT COMES AS A RESULT OF THESE ACCIDENTS.

TURNING TO THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS' ASSOCIATION, MR MCDONALD SAID ITS STATURE GREW FROM YEAR TO YEAR AND IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT COOPERATION BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATION, GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD ALSO GROW.

TO THIS END, HE SAID: +PLANS ARE ALREADY AFOOT TO EXPAND EXISTING LIAISON MACHINERY TO PROVIDE FOR A SMOOTHER MEANS OF RESOLVING PROBLEMS WHICH ARISE FROM TIME TO TIME, THEREEY PRODUCING CONDITIONS WHICH WILL ALLOW ALL OF US TO RENDER A BETTER SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC. +

AUSTRALIANS DISPLAY BUILDING MATERIALS

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THE AUSTRALIAN BUILDING MATERIALS DISPLAY, THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND EVER MOUNTED BY AUSTRALIA IN HONG KONG, WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED TODAY BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR DAVID MCDONALD.

FORTY-FOUR AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES ARE TAKING PART IN THE THREE-DAY EXHIBITION BEING HELD AT THE GRAND BALLROOM OF THE HILTON HOTEL.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, MR MCDONALD SAID: +AUSTRALIAN BUILDING PRODUCTS ARE OF COURSE ALREADY WELL-KNOWN TO LOCAL INDUSTRY BUT MANY OF THE ITEMS ON DISPLAY HAVE NOT BEEN SEEN HERE BEFORE.

+THEY WILL MAKE A MEANINGFUL INCREASE TO THE RANGE AND QUALITY OF MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS AVAILABLE FOR USE IN OUR PROJECTS.+

HE RECALLED THAT DURING A RECENT VISIT TO AUSTRALIA HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF MEETING MANY SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AS WELL AS MANY ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, SURVEYORS, PLANNERS, CONTRACTORS AND SUPPLIERS CF MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT.

MR MCDONALD SAID THAT DURING THE TALKS HE HAD SPOKEN OF THE VAST AND ONGOING PROGRAMME OF CONSTRUCTION TO WHICH HONG KONG WAS COMMITTED.

+AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES WERE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO COME HERE TO WORK WITH US AND HELP US TO MEET OUR DEVELOPMENT TARGETS,+ HE ADDED.

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