XN000022-1982-03-23 — Page 8

TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 1982

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DEATH SENTENCES COMMUTED

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THE GOVERNOR, AFTER TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. HAS DECIDED THAT THE DEATH SENTENCE. PASSED ON CHAN TING-SAN AND MA TAK-KEUNG ON MARCH 19, 1980 AND DECEMBER 16, 1980 SHOULD BE COMMUTED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT,

CHAN WAS FOUND GUILTY OF THE MURDER OF GAHLEB TEYFOUR IN A TSIM SHA TSUI HOTEL ON JUNE 27, 1979 AND HA WAS FOUND GUILTY OF THE MURDER OF YEUNG PUI-CHUNG IN A HUT IN CHAI WAN ON JANUARY 25, 1980.

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GRAVESITE WORSHIPPERS WARNED OF HILLFIRE DANGER

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WORSHIPPERS AT GRAVESITES DURING THE CHING MING FESTIVAL HAVE BEEN WARNED ABOUT THE GRAVE DANGER OF HILLFIRES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT URGED ALL GRAVESITE WORSHIPPERS TO TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS IN PREVENTING FIRES.

+WE CANNOT TAKE CHANCES,+ HE SAID, +AS FIRE HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST SINGLE THREAT TO CONSERVATION OF THE COUNTRYSIDE.*

THE SPOKESMAN CALLED ON ALL WORSHIPPERS TO USE METAL CONTAINERS FOR BURNING THE IR JOSS STICKS AND TINSEL PAPERS WHILE PAYING TRIBUTE TO THEIR ANCESTORS.

+THE COUNTRY PARKS AUTHORITY HAS PROVIDED HUNDREDS OF METAL CONTAINERS NEAR THE GRAVESITES, AND THEY ARE WITHIN EASY ACCESS OF THE WORSHIPPERS, HE SAID.

WORSHIPPERS SHOULD ENSURE THAT ALL FIRES ARE PUT OUT BEFORE

LEAVING.

THEY ARE ALSO ADVISED TO TAKE PRE-COOKED FOOD INSTEAD OF BARBECUING NEAR THE GRAVESITES.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE NUMBER OF FIRES DURING LAST YEAR'S FIRE SEASON HAD RISEN TO ABOUT 300 FROM 238 IN 1980.

SOME 140 000 TREES WERE DESTROYED LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS ABOUT EIGHT TIMES MORE THAN THE TOTAL OF 15 000 FOR 1980.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID EXPERIENCE SHOWED THAT MOST OF THE FIRES DURING THE CHING MING FESTIVAL AND THE CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL IN AUTUMN WERE STARTED BY SMOULDERING JOSS STICKS LEFT UNATTENDED AT GRAVES ITES.

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