XN000022-1983-05-25 — Page 27

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1983

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PLAY AREAS USUALLY PROTECTED BY NETTING

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SCHOOLS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES ARE GENERALLY LOCATED AWAY FROM RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS AND THE CHANCES OF OBJECTS FALLING ONTO SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS ARE RATHER REMOTE.

THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR BERNARD WILLIAMS, SAID THIS TODAY AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HENRIETTA IP MAN-HING,

HE SAID THAT AS FAR AS NURSERIES ON THE GROUND FLOORS OF DOMESTIC BLOCKS WERE CONCERNED, OPEN PLAY AREAS WERE USUALLY PROVIDED WITH PROTECTIVE NETTINGS OR CANOPIES WHERE THERE WAS ANY POTENTIAL DANGER OF FALLING OBJECTS.

+FURTHERMORE, ESTATE STAFF CONSTANTLY REMIND TENANTS OF THE DANGER OF THROWING OBJECTS OUT OF WINDOWS.

+AND WE ALSO SEEK THE HELP OF MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES AND OTHER TENANTS' ASSOCIATIONS IN EDUCATING THEIR FELLOW RESIDENTS TO REFRAIN FROM SUCH DANGEROUS PRACTICES,+ HE SAID.

ATTENDANCE RATES AT PAEDIATRIC WARDS

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ABOUT HALF OF THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN UNDER 12 ATTENDING THE ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OF PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL WERE ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL'S PAEDIATRIC WARDS IN THE LAST QUARTER OF 1982.

THE RATE OF ADMISSION WAS LOWER IN THE OTHER TWO REGIONAL HOSPITALS —— 40 PER CENT FOR QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL AND 25 PER CENT FOR QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL.

THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG, GAVE THESE STATISTICS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY IN RÉPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP.

DR THONG POINTED OUT THAT THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN BELOW 12 ADMITTED THROUGH THE A AND E DEPARTMENT OF PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL WERE 5 068 OUT OF A TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF 10 194 FOR THIS AGE GROUP. THE OVERALL ATTENDANCE FOR ALL AGES WAS 40 962.

AT QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL, 6 953 CHILDREN OUT OF A TOTAL OF 15 958 IN THE SAME AGE GROUP WERE SEEN AT THE A AND E DEPARTMENT, WITH THE OVERALL ATTENDANCE STANDING AT 69 302.

THE CORRESPONDING FIGURES FOR QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL WERE 2 069 OUT OF 7 973, WITH AN OVERALL ATTENDANCE OF 29 307.

726.