XN000022-1984-06-04 — Page 12

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MONDAY, JUNE 4,

JUNE 4, 1984

THE DADDY OF 'EM ALL

TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF AGE AND FATHER OF MORE THAN 30 CHICKS VIRILE IF NOT YOUNG IS THE RIGHT DESCRIPTION FOR THIS VERY SPECIAL BIRD WHO ACTUALLY IS AN ARGUS PHEASANT.

CALL HIM +AP+, THE +DADDY+ WITH SUCH AN AGGRESSIVE PERSONAL ITY, WHO IS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND LONGEST-STAYING RESIDENTS IN HONG KONG'S ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS.

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HE CAME IN AS A LEGAL IMMIGRANT INTO HONG KONG FROM BANGKOK IN 1964 AND AT THAT TIME, WAS ALREADY AN ADULT IN THE WORLD OF FOWLS.

TOGETHER WITH AP WAS A FEMALE COMPANION AND THEY SHARED MANY HAPPY YEARS IN THEIR GARDEN ROAD SANCTUARY. ONLY TWO YEARS AGO, AP'S LIFELONG MATE PASSED AWAY.

ACCORDING TO HIS KEEPERS, AP (WITH HIS HAREM OF FEMALE ARGUS PHEASANTS) HAS FATHERED AN AVERAGE OF TWO CHICKS A YEAR.

MORE THAN 30 SURVIVED TO MATURITY AND WERE SENT TO ZOOS OVERSEAS.

SEVERAL OF AP'S +CHILDREN ARE NOW RESIDING IN BEIJING'S

ZOO.

+GARDEN ROAD FIRE STATION TO BE RE-LOCATED- * * *

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COMMENTING ON THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO RE-LOCATE THE TEMPORARY FIRE STATION TO A SITE IN VICTORIA BARRACKS SPOKESMAN FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL SAID TODAY IT WAS +MOST DISAPPOINTING THAT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAD OVER-RULED THE URBAN COUNCIL'S RECENT APPEAL FOR RETENTION OF THE LAND CONCERNED.

+FROM THE TIME IT BECAME KNOWN THAT VICTORIA BARRACKS A MAGNIFICENT SITE IN THE HEART OF CENTRAL, WAS TO BE TURNED OVER TO THE URBAN COUNCIL FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS BEEN FORMULATING DETAILED PROPOSALS FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT, UNFORTUNATELY DELAYED BY LACK OF FUNDS.

+NOW IT SEEMS AS IF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAS DISREGARDED OUR APPEAL CONCERNING THIS SITE WITH SCANT CONSIDERATION FOR OUR ARGUMENTS, WHICH ARE BASED ON THE FACTS THAT, FIRSTLY, THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE SITE AVAILABLE NEARBY FOR THE FIRE STATION AND. SECONDLY, THAT THE EXCISION OF THIS SITE WILL HAVE A DOMINO-LIKE EFFECT ON THE WHOLE DEVELOPMENT SCHEME FOR VICTORIA BARRACKS.+

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