XN000022-1982-04-23 — Page 12

FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 1982

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RABIES INFECTED AREA REDUCED

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RECENT RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED. ON THE MOVEMENT OF DOGS INTO AND OUT OF MOST OF THE RABIES INFECTED AREA OF THE NEW TERRITORIES WERE CANCELLED BY AN ORDER IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY (FRIDAY).

ZONE.

HOWEVER, THE FRONTIER CLOSED AREA WILL REMAIN A RABIES-INFECTED

THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, MR JOHN RIDDELL-SWAN SAID THE ORDER TO DEGAZETTE MOST OF THE AREA WAS MADE AS SIX MONTHS HAD LAPSED SINCE THE LAST RABIES CASE WAS REPORTED. IN FACT, THAT WAS THE SOLE CASE WITHIN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

HOWEVER, HE EMPHASISED THERE WOULD BE NO LET UP IN THE DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS TO PREVENT THE DISEASE FROM RECURRING, AND DOG CONTROL UNITS WOULD CONTINUE TO CATCH STRAY DOGS AND INOCULATE OTHERS.

SINCE THE FIRST RABIES CASE IN 25 YEARS WAS CONFIRMED IN OCTOBER 1980, SOME 133 261 DOGS HAVE BEEN INOCULATED AGAINST RABIES AND ANOTHER 93 544 DOGS ELIMINATED. AS A RESULT OF THESE EFFORTS, HONG KONG NOW HAS A LARGELY IMMUNE DOG POPULATION.

DOG OWNERS ARE REMINDED THAT THEIR DOGS MUST BE LICENSED AND INOCULATED EVERY THREE YEARS AND FAILURE TO DO SO COULD RENDER THE OWNER LIABLE TO A FINE OF $5 000.

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ISLANDS TREE PLANTING DAY

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SOME 70 EVERGREEN TREES PLANTED AT LAMMA ISLAND TODAY WILL ADD MORE COLOUR TO THE POPULAR HOLIDAY RESORT IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

THE TREES - ALEURITES MOLUCCANA - WERE PLANTED BY SOME 100 CIVIC-MINDED STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AT A CEREMONY TO MARK THE ISLANDS DISTRICT TREE PLANTING DAY TO COINCIDE WITH THE +ME | FA+ PHASE OF THE CLEAN HONG KONG CAMPAIGN.

THE EVENT JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE ISLANDS DISTRICT BOARD AND THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WAS HELD AT THE SOUTH LAMMA COMMUNITY CENTRE, SOK KWU WAN, LAMMA ISLAND.

OFFICIATING AT THE CEREMONY, THE DIRECTOR OF NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES, MR JIMMY SWEETMAN, SAID THE EXERCISE WOULD AROUSE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANTING AND CARING OF TREES TO TURN THE ENVIRONMENT MORE ATTRACTIVE.

/NOTING THAT