XN000022-1984-11-21 — Page 24

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1984

SHEUNG SHUI BETTER AS QUARANTINE DEPOT

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SHEUNG SHUT WOULD BE MORE SUITABLE THAN TSING YI FOR A PROPOSED CATTLE QUARANTINE DEPOT, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON PIERS JACOBS, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG, MR JACOBS TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT CHINA HAD BECOME THE PRINCIPAL SUPPLIER OF CATTLE TO HONG KONG, SO THAT OVER 85 PER CENT OF CATTLE NOW CAME BY RAIL OR BY ROAD INSTEAD OF BY SEA.

IN VIEW OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO CONSTRUCT A NEW ABATTOIR NEAR THE RAILWAY LINE IN SHEUNG SHUI, HE SAID, THE PROPOSAL TO SET UP A QUARANTINE DEPOT ON TSING YI HAD BEEN CANCELLED IN MAY THIS YEAR.

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS FULLY AWARE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND INCONVENIENCE CAUSED BY THE EXISTING DEPOTS IN MA TAU KOK AND KENNEDY TOWN AND OF THE NEED FOR EARLY REPROVISIONING.

+A STUDY ON THE FEASIBILITY OF MOVING CATTLE TO THE LAIRAGE IN THE KENNEDY TOWN ABATTOIR IS UNDERWAY.

+ IF CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT, WE HOPE THEN TO CLOSE THE KENNEDY TOWN CATTLE DEPOT.

+IN ANY EVENT, WE WILL DO ALL WE CAN TO EXPEDITE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SHEUNG SHUI LAIRAGE. IT IS INTENDED THEREFORE, TO SEEK THE UPGRADING OF THE PROJECT SO THAT IT MAY BE COMPLETED IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1987-88,+ HE SAID.

INSURANCE QUESTION EXPLAINED

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THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC INSURANCE COVER FOR STUDENTS OF THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION ON TEACHING ATTACHMENTS, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON YEUNG PO-KWAN, MR HENDERSON EXPLAINED THIS WAS IN LINE WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S GENERAL POLICY OF BEING +SELF-INSURED+.

/+THE GOVERNMENT