XN000022-1985-07-12 — Page 20

FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1985

TH

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CONCESSIONARY FERRY FARES FOR DISABLED PROPOSED

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AN AMENDMENT ORDER WHICH SEEKS TO ENABLE THE HONGKONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY (HYF) TO IMPLEMENT ITS CONCESSIONARY FARE SCHEME FOR THE DISABLED WAS GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY).

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT HYE HAD OFFERED TO INTRODUCE CONCESSIONARY FARES FOR THE HANDICAPPED ON ITS CROSS-HARBOUR ROUTES IN 1983 WITH EFFECT FROM JANUARY 1, 1984. HOWEVER, THE CONCESSIONARY FARES HAD BEEN HELD IN ABEYANCE IN THE ABSENCE OF A DEFINITION FOR THE TERM +HANDICAPPED+.

+THE DEFINITION IS NOW CLEARLY SPELT OUT IN THE FERRY SERVICES (HONGKONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY, LIMITED) (DETERMINATION OF FARES) (AMENDMENT) ORDER 1985, + HE EXPLAINED.

THE AMENDMENT ORDER WILL TAKE EFFECT FROM OCTOBER 1 THIS YEAR. IT DEFINES +HANDICAPPED+ AS A PERSON WHO IS AGED 12 YEARS OR OVER- WHO IS RECEIVING OR IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FROM SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT A DISABILITY ALLOWANCE BECAUSE OF SEVERE PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABLEMENT AS CERTIFIED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES AND WHO IS THE HOLDER OF A VALID HANDICAPPED PERSON'S TRAVEL CARD ISSUED BY HYF.

+DISABLED PERSONS UNDER 12 YEARS OF AGE ARE ALREADY CATERED FOR IN THE CONCESSIONARY FARE SCHEME FOR CHILDREN, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+

- IT IS ESTIMATED THAT SOME 42 000 HANDICAPPED PERSONS WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO TRAVEL AT CONCESSIONARY CHILD FARE ON THE ORDINARY CLASS OF 12 CROSS-HARBOUR PASSENGER FERRY ROUTES. FIVE OF THESE ROUTES, HOWEVER, WILL NOT BE SUITABLE FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS BECAUSE OF LIMITATIONS IN PIER FACILITIES.

THE HANDICAPPED PERSON'S TRAVEL CARDS WILL BE ISSUED BY THE FERRY COMPANY FREE OF CHARGE, VALID FOR ONE YEAR AND RENEWABLE.

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HK-CHINA WEATHER STATION SET UP

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HONG

A TEAM OF SEVEN OFFICERS FROM THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY, KONG, AND THE GUANGDONG METEOROLOGICAL BUREAU, PRC HAS INSTALLED AN AUTOMATIC WEATHER STATION AT HUANGMAO ZHOU, WHICH IS A SMALL UNINHABITED ISLAND OFF THE PEARL RIVER ESTUARY ABOUT 50 KM TO THE SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF HONG KONG.

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THE SETTING UP OF THE STATION FOLLOWED AN AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY AND THE GUANGDONG METEOROLOGICAL BUREAU IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR WHICH AIMED AT OBTAINING METEOROLOGICAL DATA FROM AN OFFSHORE LOCATION FOR MONITORING SEVERE WEATHER SYSTEMS APPROACHING THE SOUTH CHINA COASTAL AREAS.

/THE ROYAL

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