XN000022-1985-01-23 — Page 28

26

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1985.

HE POINTED OUT THAT EXCEPT THE VERY OLD ONES BUILT BEFORE 1964 WHEN SUCH REQUIREMENTS CAME INTO EFFECT, FIRE DETECTION SYSTEMS

IN HOTELS AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS WERE SATISFACTORY.

TURNING TO FIRE PREVENTION MEASURES, MR JEAFFRESON SAID TRAINING COURSES WERE REGULARLY CONDUCTED BY THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR HOTEL MANAGEMENT STAFF.

+IN 1984, A TOTAL OF 890 PERSONS VOLUNTARILY TOOK PART IN THESE COURSES, HE SAID.

IN ADDITION, THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT INSPECTS HOTELS AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, ADVISES THE MANAGEMENT OF THESE BUILDINGS ON THE REMOVAL OF FIRE HAZARDS AND ON FIRE PREVENTION.

THE SMALL NUMBERS OF FIRES WHICH OCCURRED IN HOTELS AND COMMERCIAL BLOCKS SUPPORTS THE VIEW THAT FIRE PREVENTION ARRANGEMENTS ARE SATISFACTORY, HE SAID.

'BUGS LIKELY' IN COMPUTER TOLL SYSTEM

******

ALTHOUGH THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL'S TOLL COLLECTION SYSTEM WAS OPERATING SUCCESSFULLY FOR 98 PER CENT OF THE TIME, IT HAD NOT MEASURED UP FULLY TO REQUIREMENTS, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR NICKY CHAN, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

AS A RESULT, HE SAID, GOVERNMENT HAD NOT ACCEPTED AND PAID FOR THE EQUIPMENT CONCERNED, ALTHOUGH IN MOST RESPECTS SUCH AS CONTROLLING TOLL LANES, THE SYSTEM WAS OPERATING SATISFACTORILY.

IN REPLY TO A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS BY THE HON KEITH LAM, MR CHAN EXPLAINED THAT THERE WERE TWO COMPUTER SYSTEMS USED IN THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL, ONE FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL, CONTROLLING WARNING SIGNS AND TRAFFIC MOVEMENTS, AND THE OTHER FOR TOLL COLLECTION, WHICH WAS ESSENTIALLY FOR ACCOUNTING AND STATISTICS GATHERING PURPOSES.

+ THE TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM HAS BEEN OPERATING SUCCESSFULLY FOR MORE THAN A YEAR AND HAS BEEN FORMALLY TAKEN OVER AND PAID FOR, HE SAID.

HE SAID THAT FAULTS IN THE TOLL COLLECTION SYSTEM WHICH WERE COMPARATIVELY SMALL WHEN COMPARED TO THE WHOLE SYSTEM WERE PROBABLY CAUSED BY +BUGS+ IN THE SOFTWARE AND A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT HAD AL EADY BEEN PUT INTO LOCATING THEM AND FINDING THE REASONS FOR T. MALFUNCTIONING.

THE CONTRK PUR