XN000022-1985-02-05 — Page 10

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1985

BUILDING DECLARED DANGEROUS

****

THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TODAY DECLARED NO. 282 QUEEN'S ROAD WEST TO BE IN A DANGEROUS CONDITION.

IN A STATEMENT ISSUED THIS (TUESDAY) MORNING THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR SAID THAT THIS THREE STOREY PRE-WAR BUILDING WAS GENERALLY CONSTRUCTED WITH TIMBER FLOORS AND TIMBER PITCHED ROOF ON LOAD-BEARING BRICK WALLS.

HE SAID RECENT INSPECTIONS HAD FOUND THE LOAD-BEARING WALLS DEFECTIVE WITH FRACTURES OCCURRING IN MANY PLACES, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ONES SHOWING MOVEMENT OF THE BUILDING BEING THE FRESH DIAGONAL CRACKS ON THE VERANDAH WALL ADJOINING NO. 280 QUEEN'S ROAD WEST ON FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS, AND THE OPEN JOINT ON THE WALLS SEPARATING NO. 282 FROM 284 QUEEN'S ROAD WEST AT THE REAR.

A NUMBER OF STRUCTURAL TIMBERS WERE DECAYED AND DEFECTIVE. THE AGE, THE OVERALL POOR CONDITION OF THE BUILDING AND ITS APPARENT RECENT MOVEMENT OF THE VERANDAH HAD LED TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THERE WAS A RISK OF A COLLAPSE. IT WAS THEREFORE NECESSARY TO CLOSE AND DEMOLISH THIS BUILDING.

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOR A CLOSURE ORDER IN VICTORIA DISTRICT COURT AT 9.30 AM ON MARCH 5, WAS POSTED TODAY,

UN AGENCY CHIEF VISITS POYAL OBSERVATORY

***

CO-ORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA TO IMPROVE TYPHOON WARNING SERVICES WAS AMONG THE MATTERS DISCUSSED YESTERDAY (MONDAY) BETWEEN THE DIRECTOR OF THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY, MR PATRICK SHAM, AND THE VISITING SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANISATION, DR G.O.P. OBAS!, AND THE WMO REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR ASIA AND THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC, MR K. RAJENDRAM.

DURING THE VISIT, DR OBASI SAW THE TECHNICAL FACILITIES AT THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY HEADQUARTERS, AND EXPRESSED GREAT INTEREST IN THE LOCAL STATION NETWORKS SUPPLYING UP-TO-THE-MINUTE DATA TO THE CENTRAL FORECASTING OFFICE AND THE IN-HOUSE TRAINING PROGRAMME OF THE OBSERVATORY,

DR OBASI ALSO MET PROFESSOR TAO SHIYAN AND PROFESSOR DING YI: VA, EMINENT METEOROLOGISTS FROM THE INSTITUTE OF ATMOSPHERIC

SICS, ACADEMIA SINICA, WHO ARE CURRENTLY CONDUCTING A ONE-MONT: LECTURE SERIES ON HEAVY RAIN AND TROPICAL CYCLONE FOR THE STAFF OF THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY.

/DR JA31

Page 10Page 11