XN000022-1981-08-20 — Page 9

THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 1981

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COST OF BREACHING LABOUR LAWS

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THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TOOK OUT 686 PROSECUTIONS LAST MONTH JULY) FOR BREACH OF LABOUR LEGISLATION, RESULTING IN 661 CONVICTIONS WITH FINES TOTALLING MORE THAN $420 000.

MOST OF THE CASES CONCERNED BREACHES OF THE FACTOR IES

AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE AND ITS VARIOUS SUBSIDIARY REGULATIONS, THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE AND THE WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS (INDUSTRY) REGULATIONS.

CASES RELATING TO VIOLATIONS OF SAFETY REGULATIONS TOTALLED 250, RESULTING IN FINES TOTALLING $225 650.

THESE INCLUDED 148 CASES (WITH $117 000 IN FINES) FOR BREACH OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (GUARDING AND OPERATION OF MACHINERY) REGULATIONS AND 39 CASES (WITH $63 850 IN FINES) FOR BREACH OF THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS.

OFFENCES IN CONNECTION WITH EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN AND YOUNG PEOPLE ACCOUNTED FOR 385 CASES WITH $183 130 IN FINES.

OF THE OTHER PROSECUTIONS, SEVEN CASES RELATED TO FAILURE TO KEEP RECORDS OF EMPLOYEES, LEADING TO $2 750 IN FINES.

DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF RETIRES *****

THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, MR MAURICE LANE WILL BE RETIRING NEXT MONTH AFTER SERVING 25 YEARS WITH THE HONG KONG FIRE SERVICES.

AT A CEREMONY HELD AT THE FIRE SERVICES HEADQUARTERS IN NORTH POINT TODAY (THURSDAY) THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, MR F.M. WATSON PRESENTED A MEMENTO TO MR LANE ON BEHALF OF HIS COLLEAGUES.

DURING HIS YEARS OF SERVICE, MR LANE PROGRESSED THROUGH THE RANKS TO BECOME A CHIEF FIRE OFFİCER IN 1968. HE PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT PART IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FIRE PROTECTION BUREAU, THEN KNOWN AS FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU. DURING HIS FIVE YEARS AS HEAD

OF THE BUREAU, NEW LEGISLATION GOVERNING FIRE SAFETY IN HONG KONG'S GROWING NUMBERS OF SKYSCRAPERS WAS INTRODUCED,

MR LANE WAS APPOINTED TO DEPUTY DIRECTOR IN 1975. HE WAS AWARDED THE COLONIAL POLICE MEDAL (FIRE SERVICES) FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE IN 1966 AND THE QUEEN'S FIRE SERVICE MEDAL FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE IN 1972.

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