XN000022-1983-07-27 — Page 7

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1963

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UN

ON THE FIVE CONTAINER TERMINALS IN KWAI CHUNG, HE NOTED THAT LAST YEAR'S TOTAL THROUGHPUT OF 1.5 MILLION TEU'S (TWENTY- FOOT EQUIVALENT UNITS) EXCEEDED THEIR EFFICIENT WORKING CAPACITY OF 1.2 MILLION TEU'S,

HOWEVER, THE GOVERNMENT HAD APPROVED A PRIVATE TREATY GRANT OF LAND TO TWO OF THE THREE TERMINAL OPERATORS TO ENABLE THEM TO RECLAIM KWAI CHUNG CREEK, MR YEUNG REPORTED.

THE AIM WAS TO HAVE THIS PROJECT COMPLETED IN 1986 WHEN THE EFFICIENT WORKING CAPACITY WOULD BE RAISED BY 80 PER CENT TO 2.2 MILLION TEU'S A YEAR AGAINST A THROUGHPUT OF 2.05 MILLION TEU'S ESTIMATED FOR THAT YEAR, HE SAID,

THE PROJECT WOULD ALSO IMPROVE VEHICULAR MOVEMENT TO AND FROM THE CONTAINER TERMINALS.

THE RECLAMATION OF THE CREEK WOULD BE FOLLOWED IN DUE COURSE BY ADDITIONAL TERMINALS IN KWAI CHUNG, WITH THEIR PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION TO BE CLOSELY MONITORED BY THE CONTAINER PORT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, MR YEUNG SAID.

GOVERNMENT AGAIN CONSIDERING BAN ON TOY GUNS

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THE GOVERNMENT WAS ONCE AGAIN CONSIDERING WHETHER IT WOULD BE FEASIBLE TO BAN TOY GUNS, IN SOME WAY, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON PATRICK WILLIAMSON, SAID TODAY.

+BECAUSE OF THE RAMIFICATIONS FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL TRADE WE HAVE TILL NOW TRIED TO CONTROL THE USE OF IMITATION FIREARMS THROUGH STATUTORY RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR POSSESSION,+

MR WILLIAMSON SAID.

BUT THIS HAD NOT PROVED EFFECTIVE, HE SAID.

MR WILLIAMSON SAID THE MATTER WOULD INITIALLY BE PUT TO THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON T.S. LO.

MR LO HAD ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER BANNING THE IMPORT, MANUFACTURING EXCEPT FOR EXPORT, SALE, OR POSSESSION WITHOUT AUTHORITY OF TOY GUNS SO THAT THEY COULD NOT BE USED:

* IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES BY CRIMINALS PRETENDING THAT

THEY ARE REAL FIREARMS, OR

* BY BEING CONVERTED UNLAWFULLY INTO REAL FIREARMS.

YES, SIR, MR WILLIAMSON REPLIED.

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