XN000022-1983-11-25 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1983

$422-MILL ION WATER PROJECT SIGNED

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THE DIRECTOR OF WATER SUPPLIES, MR TOM TOMLINSON, SIGNED A CONSULTANCY AGREEMENT TODAY (FRIDAY) FOR STAGE 1 OF A TREATMENT WORKS AND WATER TRANSFER FACILITIES PROJECT AT PAK KONG IN THE SAI KUNG PENINSULA WITH CONSULTING ENGINEERS, WATSON-HASWELL.

THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE WATER FOR JUNK BAY NEW TOWN AND ITS SURROUNDING AREAS, AND SUPPLEMENT SUPPLY TO KOWLOON EAST DISTRICT AND THE NORTH-EASTERN PART OF HONG KONG ISLAND,

IT IS ESTIMATED TO COST $422 MILLION.

MR TOMLINSON SAID KOWLOON EAST AND THE NORTH-EASTERN PART OF HONG KONG ISLAND WOULD REQUIRE A SUPPLEMENTARY SOURCE OF TREATED WATER BY 1987 TO MEET INCREASED DEMAND AND THIS WOULD BE MET BY PROVIDING INCREASED TREATMENT AND TRANSFER FACILITIES UNDER THE NEW PROJECT.

HE SAID INITIAL PLANNING OF THE PROJECT HAD JUST BEEN COMPLETED AND IT WAS TIME TO APPOINT CONSULTING ENGINEERS WHO WOULD DEVELOP THE GENERAL PROPOSALS FOR THE WORKS AND THEN DESIGN AND SUPERVISE CONSTRUCTION.

STAGE I OF THE PROJECT WOULD BE COMMISSIONED BY MID-1987 IF EVERYTHING PROCEEDED AS SCHEDULED, MR TOMLINSON SAID.

SIGNING THE AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CONSULTING ENGINEERS WERE MR A.D. BARRETT AND MR A.R. UMNEY.

OCTOBER CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES

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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY (FRIDAY) PUBLISHED

THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES FOR OCTOBER 1983.

THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (A) AND CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (B) FOR OCTOBER 1983 WERE 151 AND 150 RESPECTIVELY, EACH BEING FIVE POINTS OR 3.4 PER CENT HIGHER THAN THE PRECEDING MONTH.

COMPARED WITH THE SAME MONTH IN THE PRECEDING YEAR, CPI(A) ROSE BY 17 POINTS OR 12.7 PER CENT AND CPI(B), BY 16 POINTS OR 11.9 PER CENT.

DURING THE THREE-MONTH PERIOD ENDING IN OCTOBER 1983, THE SEASONALLY ADJUSTED CPI(A) INCREASED AT AN AVERAGE RATE OF 1.9 PER CENT EACH MONTH AND THE SEASONALLY ADJUSTED CPI(B), 1.7 PER CENT.

JURING OCTOBER, FOOD PRICES, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF PORK AND EDIBLE OILS, WERE HIGHER. CHARGES FOR MEALS IN RESTAURANTS SCHOOL TEES, PRIVATE DWELLING RENTALS AND PRICES OF CIGARETTES AND TECTRICAL PABLES ALSO WENT UP.

ARS CPI(▲)