XN000022-1984-01-26 — Page 8

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 1984

AN EASTERN DISTRICT OFFICE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT OWING TO THE GOOD RESPONSE TO THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTING DISPLAYS AT THE FOOTBRIDGE ON WAN TSUI ROAD, AND THE SUCCESS OF LAST YEAR'S LUNAR NEW YEAR FESTIVE DECORATIONS, THE DISTRICT BOARD HAD DECIDED TO ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR THIS AGAIN.

THIS WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EASTERN DISTRICT. RESIDENTS AND THE PUBLIC WHO VISIT THE LUNAR NEW YEAR'S FAIR IN VICTORIA PARK TO SHARE THE FESTIVE JOY, HE SAID.

THE EASTERN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR LUI HAU-TUEN, WILL SWITCH ON THE LIGHTING DISPLAY AT A CEREMONY AT 6 PM TOMORROW,

OTHER OFFICIATING GUESTS WILL INCLUDE URBAN COUNCILLOR MR SHUM CHOI-SANG, DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

YOU ARE INVITED TO COVER THE SWITCH-ON CEREMONY FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT LUNAR NEW YEAR'S LIGHTING DECORATIONS AT 6 PM TOMORROW (FRIDAY) OUTSIDE THE SQUASH COURT (NEAR THE HING FAT STREET ENTRANCE) IN VICTORIA PARK.

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FIRE CAUTION URGED AS COUNTRY PARKS REOPEN

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THE FOUR COUNTRY PARKS AND A NATURE RESERVE WHICH HAVE BEEN CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC DUE TO HIGH FIRE RISKS WILL BE RE-OPENED FROM TOMORROW (FRIDAY).

THEY ARE THE COUNTRY PARKS AT TAI LAM, TAI MO SHAN, SHING MUN AND POK FU LAM AND THE TAI PO KAU NATURE RESERVE, WHICH HAVE BEEN CLOSED SINCE DECEMBER 3 LAST YEAR.

THE DECISION TO RE-OPEN THESE AREAS WAS MADE TODAY BY THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR JOHN RIDDELL-SWAN, FOLLOWING AN OVERALL REVIEW OF THE RECENT WEATHER SITUATION IN RELATION TO HILL FIRES,

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED TODAY THAT A CHANGE IN WEATHER CONDITIONS OVER THE PAST WEEK HAD RENDERED THE WOODLANDS AND OTHER VEGETATION IN COUNTRY PARKS LESS PRONE TO FIRES.

THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED, HOWEVER, THAT THIS DID NOT MEAN THAT THERE WAS NO FIRE RISK, AND HE URGED ALL VISITORS TO BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL NOT TO CAUSE FIRES.

NO FIRES SHOULD BE LIT EXCEPT IN DESIGNATED BARBECUE SITES, HE WARNED.

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