XN000022-1982-10-25 — Page 6

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1982

BUSY YEAR FOR CAS ***

MEMBERS OF THE CIVIL AID SERVICES PERFORMED 657 COMMUNITY SERVICE AND OTHER RELATED OPERATIONS DURING THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 1982, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST CAS ANNUAL REPORT JUST PUBLISHED.

THE OPERATIONS INVOLVING 26 752 MAN-DAYS RANGED FROM CROWD CONTROL, COUNTRYSIDE FIRE PROTECTION, AND PROVIDING PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT, TO MOUNTAIN RESCUE WORK AND MANAGEMENT OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

CROWD CONTROL AND GENERAL ASSISTANCE FOR COMMUNITY FUNCTIONS TOOK UP 9 897 MAN-DAYS, A 37 PER CENT INCREASE OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, INVOLVING 824 MEMBERS AND CADETS OF THE SERVICES.

CROWD CONTROL WAS PROVIDED ESPECIALLY AT RAILWAY STATIONS DURING THE CHINESE NEW YEAR AND OTHER MAJOR CHINESE FESTIVALS WHEN LARGE NUMBERS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS TRAVELLED BY TRAIN TO CHINA AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.

LAST YEAR CAS VOLUNTEERS CONTINUED TO ASSIST THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF REFUGEES CENTRES AND THE REPATRIATION OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, SPENDING A TOTAL OF 6 058 MAN-DAYS.

THE CAS WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN COUNTRYSIDE FIRE PROTECTION AND RURAL AREA CONTROL, DEPLOYING MORE THAN 7 700 VOLUNTEERS FOR THESE TASKS, THE REPORT SAID.

ON THE ENTERTAINMENT SIDE, IT PROVIDED PUBLIC PERFORMANCES OF BICYCLING AND MOTORCYCLING DEMONSTRATIONS, AND BAND MUSIC.

CAS MOUNTAIN RESCUE TEAMS WERE ON STANDBY DUTY ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND RESCUED OVER 100 PEOPLE ON 19 OCCASIONS, A 47 PER CENT INCREASE OVER THE NUMBER OF OPERATIONS DURING THE PRECEDING YEAR.

IT DEPLOYED 1 000 MEMBERS TO HELP THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT IN RABIES CONTROL.

DESPITE ITS HEAVY OPERATIONAL DUTIES, THE CAS PROVIDED 103 FULL-TIME COURSES ON A BROAD RANGE OF SUBJECTS FOR ITS ADULT MEMBERS, WHO ALSO ATTENDED ANTI-POLLUTION COURSES CONDUCTED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT.

FOR CADET CORPS THE CAS CONDUCTED 128 FULL- AND PART-TIME COURSES IN ADDITION TO TRAINING ORGANISED BY INDIVIDUAL CADET UNITS.

OVERSEAS TRAINING WAS ALSO ORGANISED LAST YEAR FOR PERMANENT STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS TO PROMOTE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, THE REPORT SAID.

LIMITED COPIES OF THE ANNUAL REPORT ARE AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE AT THE CAS HEADQUARTERS, 100 CAROLINE HILL ROAD,

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