XN000022-1985-12-18 — Page 33

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1985

THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALREADY TAKING THE LEAD IN HAVING OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS IN BOTH LANGUAGES AND THE USE OF BILINGUAL DOCUMENTS AND

MR WONG SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION WAS RAPIDLY GAINING MOMENTUM,

SAID.

+OF COURSE, IT IS EXPENSIVE AND ENTAILS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, BUT IT IS, IN MY VIEW, A MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION,+ HE SAID.

CLOSURE OF PRE-WAR BUILDING SOUGHT

***

THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TODAY (WEDNESDAY) DECLARED NO. 17, QUEEN'S ROAD CENTRAL, HONG KONG, TO BE LIABLE TO BECOME DANGER

THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR SAID THAT NOS. AND 177 QUEEN'S ROAD CENTRAL, BOTH OF FOUR-STOREY OVER BASEMENT, PRE-WAR BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED WITH LOAD-BEARING BRICK WALLS, TIMBER FLOORS AND ROOFS HAD BEEN UNDER OBSERVATION SINCE 1968.

RECENT INSPECTIONS INDICATED THAT NO. 175 QUEEN'S ROAD CENTRAL HAD REACHED AN ADVANCE STATE OF DETERIORATION AND WAS DANGEROUS DUE TO THE STRUCTURAL TIMBER DECAY ESPECIALLY ON THE FIRST FLOOR AT THE VERANDAH AND THE FRONT PORTION OF FLOOR AND DUE TO THE OPENING UP OF MAJOR CRACKS ON THE MAIN WALLS.

THE PARTY WALL BETWEEN NOS. 175 AND 177 WAS SUBSTANTIALLY FRAGMENTED.

NO. 175 WAS CONSIDERED BEYOND REASONABLE REPAIR AND WAS CONSIDERED TO BE DANGEROUS, SINCE IT WAS A GOVERNMENT REVERTED BUILDING AND HAD BEEN VACATED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SECTION OF LANDS DEPARTMENT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO DEMOLISH

IT.

NO. 177 QUEEN'S ROAD CENTRAL WAS CONSIDERED LIABLE TO BECOME DANGEROUS DUE TO THE POOR CONDITION OF THE PARTY WALL BETWEEN NO. 175 AND 177 AND OVERLOADING. IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT THIS BUILDING COULD WITHSTAND THE EFFECT OF DEMOLITION OF NO. 175. IT WAS THEREFORE NECESSARY TO CLOSE AND TO DEMOLISH THIS BUILDING AT THE SAME TIME.

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO APPLY FOP A CLOSURE ORDER IN VICTORIA DISTRICT COURT AT 9.30 AM ON FEBRUARY 18, 1986 WAS POSTED TODAY.

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