XN000022-1986-06-04 — Page 7

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1986

HE SAID THE BILL ALSO EMPOWERED THE DIRECTOR OF CIVIL AVIATION TO REQUIRE AIRCRAFT OPERATORS TO ADOPT LANDING AND TAKE-OFF PROCEDURES TO MITIGATE THE EFFECT OF NOISE AND VIBRATION, AND TO SPECIFY WHEN AIRCRAFT MIGHT LAND AT AND TAKE OFF FROM HONG KONG AERODROMES AND IN WHAT NUMBERS.

+AGAIN THESE ARE POWERS WHICH MAY BE EXERCISED TO REDUCE AIRCRAFT NOISE IMPACT IN AND AROUND THE AIRPORT, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT,+ HE ADDED.

MR JACOBS ALSO SAID GIVEN THE LOCATION OF HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE AIRPORT OR UNDER ITS FLIGHT PATHS WERE SUBJECT TO NOISE RESULTING FROM AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT OVER THE YEARS, THE GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION, SUCH AS THE GENERAL PROHIBITION OF NIGHT-TIME TAKE-OFFS AND LANDINGS, TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF AIRCRAFT NOISE.

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HOLIDAY PROPOSED FOR ROYAL VISIT

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AN ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HOLIDAY SHOULD BE APPOINTED ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, THIS YEAR TO MARK THE VISIT BY THE QUEEN AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AND TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO ENJOY ACTIVITIES ORGANISED FOR THE OCCASION, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, PROPOSED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE PUBLIC HOLIDAY (ROYAL VISIT) BILL 1986, MR HENDERSON SAID AS WITH THE ADDITIONAL HOLIDAY IN 1981 TO CELEBRATE THE ROYAL WEDDING, THIS HOLIDAY SHOULD BE ENJOYED BY THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, AND SHOULD THUS BE A HOLIDAY UNDER BOTH THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE AND THE HOLIDAYS ORDINANCE.

A SPECIAL BILL WAS REQUIRED FOR THE PURPOSE, HE SAID, AS THERE WAS NO PROVISION UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE FOR THE GRANT OF AN ADDITIONAL STATUTORY HOLIDAY.

MR HENDERSON SAID THE BILL WAS IDENTICAL IN STRUCTURE TO THE 1981 PUBLIC HOLIDAY (PRINCE OF WALES' WEDDING) ORDINANCE, AND APPOINTED OCTOBER 22 AS A GENERAL HOLIDAY UNDER THE HOLIDAYS ORDINANCE AND A STATUTORY HOLIDAY UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.

+THE DAY WILL THEREFORE BE OBSERVED AS A GENERAL HOLIDAY BY BANKS, SCHOOLS AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

/+EMPLOYERS ARE