XN000022-1983-07-27 — Page 10

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1983

CONSTRUCTION WORK DAMAGE TO ROADS SMALL

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WATER SPRAYED ON ROAD SURFACE AND ON WHEELS OF VEHICLES LEAVING CONSTRUCTION SITES CAUSED NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO ROADS, PROVIDED THE ROAD SURFACE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR CHAN NAI-KEONG, SAID TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY THE HON K.C. CHAN, HE SAID THAT ROADS ADJOINING CONSTRUCTION SITES WERE, HOWEVER, VULNERABLE TO DAMAGE.

+ THE MERE WEIGHT OF EARTH-MOVING LORRIES SHOULD NOT CAUSE ANY SERIOUS DAMAGE TO ROADS WHICH ARE DESIGNED FOR HEAVY WEAR. WHAT CAN HAPPEN, HOWEVER, IS THAT MATERIALS SUCH AS GRIT AND STONES WHICH FALL FROM LORRIES MAY BE GROUND INTO THE ROAD SURFACE, BREAKING IT AND RENDERING IT MORE VULNERABLE TO FURTHER DAMAGE, MR CHAN SAID.

+ IF A ROAD SURFACE WHICH IS ALREADY DAMAGED IS SUBJECTED TO SPRAYING IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE WATER MIGHT SEEP THROUGH THE CRACKS IN THE SURFACE AND AFFECT THE ROAD FOUNDATION, WHICH WOULD IN TURN RESULT IN FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE SURFACE.

MR CHAN SAID THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE ATTRIBUTABLE TO CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES WAS CONSIDERED VERY SMALL.

IN ANY CASE, REPAIRS TO THE ROAD SURFACE AND ANY OTHER RELATED DAMAGE IS CHARGED TO THOSE RESPONSIBLE, + MR CHAN SAID.

+ IN RESPECT OF GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS, THE CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO MAKE GOOD ANY DAMAGE CAUSES TO GOVERNMENT PROPERTY INCLUDING ROADS WHEREAS FOR PRIVATE SITES, THE STANDARD LEASE CONDITIONS PROVIDE FOR THE LESSEE TO REIMBURSE GOVERNMENT THE COST OF MAKING GOOD ANY DAMAGE CAUSED TO ADJOINING ROADS.+

LACK OF JOBS FOR SEAMEN 'REFLECTS MARKET FORCES'

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FROM 1980 TO 1982, THE NUMBER OF POSTS FILLED BY HONG KONG SEAMEN ON FOREIGN-GOING SHIPS FELL BY ABOUT 20 PER CENT FROM ABOUT 18 200 TO 14 000, THE HON K.Y. YEUNG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, THE NUMBER DECLINED BY ANOTHER 1 251 POSTS.

THE INFORMATION WAS SUPPLIED BY EMPLOYERS OF HONG KONG SEAMEN TO THE SEAMEN'S RECRUITING OFFICE, MR YEUNG SAID, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI.

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