XN000022-1986-02-25 — Page 6

5

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1986

ELECTION OFFICIALS WHO WILL MAN THE POLLING STATIONS AND COUNTING CENTRES HAVE BEEN BRIEFED ON THE IR DUTIES, PROCEDURES AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE ELECTIONS.

OFFICIALS FROM THE REGISTRATION AND ELECTORAL DIVISION SPENT TWO DAYS BE IEFING THE 302 PRESIDING OFFICERS, ABOUT 600 ASSISTANT PRESIDING OFFICERS AND MORE THAN 1 000 POLLING OFFICERS AND COUNTING SUPERVISORS AT THE CITY HALL YESTERDAY AND TODAY (TUESDAY).

+A MAKESHIFT POLLING STATION WAS ERECTED AT THE CITY HALL'S CONCERT HALL YESTERDAY (MONDAY) TO GIVE PRESIDING OFFICERS AND THEIR ASSISTANTS SOME IDEA OF THE PROCEDURES IN HANDLING THE VOTING INSIDE THE RESTRICTED AREA,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+ IT WAS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE 19 RETURNING OFFICERS WHO ARE ALL DISTRICT OFFICERS TO MEET THEIR STAFF FOR THE ELECTIONS, + HE ADDED.

THE PRESIDING OFFICERS AND THEIR ASSISTANTS WERE TOLD THAT ELECTORS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO ANYONE OTHER THAN ELECTION OFFICIALS INSIDE THE POLLING STATIONS AS BALLOTING IS SECRET.

THEY WERE ALSO TOLD TO GIVE ASSISTANCE TO HANDICAPPED AND BLIND ELECTORS.

THE POLLING STATIONS WILL BE OPENED FROM 7.30 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 10.30 AT NIGHT ON MARCH 6 (THURSDAY).

ALL POLLING AND COUNTING STAFF HAVE TAKEN THE OATH OF SECRECY FOR THE ELECTIONS.

SIR WILLIAM LOOKS AT HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS

*****

THE DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE, SIR WILLIAM HARDING, TODAY (TUESDAY) SAW VARIOUS ASPECTS OF HOUSING AND RELATED DEVELOPMENTS.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM, SIR WILLIAM SPENT THE AFTERNOON VISITING SQUATTER AREAS, OLD HOUSING ESTATES AND SOME NEWLY- BUILT HOUSING BLOCKS IN WONG TAI SIN.

HE FIRST VISITED THE DIAMOND HILL SQUATTER AREA WHERE ABOUT 40 000 PEOPLE LIVE IN 7 000 HUTS.

/DURING A