XN000022-1986-06-14 — Page 9

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SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1986

THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS LEVELLED AGAINST TAXI SERVICE INCREASED STEAD ILY. MOST WERE ABOUT OVERCHARGING, REFUSING HIRE AND MISCONDUCT OF DRIVERS.

MR RUMJAHN POINTED OUT THAT COMPLAINANTS ABOUT MALPRACTICES BY TAXI DRIVERS WERE ADVISED TO REPORT THE ALLEGED OFFENCES TO THE POLICE AS THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE IS THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY FOR ENFORCEMENT ACTION.

A TOTAL OF 267 COMPLAINTS ABOUT ROAD CONGESTION WERE RECEIVED, REPRESENTING NEARLY ONE-FIFTH OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS RECEIVED IN THE QUARTER AND AN 80 PER CENT INCREASE OVER THAT FOR THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. THE AREAS CONCERNED WERE MAINLY KWUN TONG, WAN CHAI, CENTRAL AND WESTERN.

THE MAIN AREAS OF COMPLAINT INCLUDED TRAFFIC LIGHTS, TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS AND VEHICLE OBSTRUCTION. AS IN THE PREVIOUS QUARTER OVER HALF OF THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT VEHICLE OBSTRUCTION WERE DIRECTED AGAINST PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES,

MR RUMJAHN SAID ABOUT ONE-SIXTH OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS RECEIVED DURING THE QUARTER INVOLVED PROPOSALS ON TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES, REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC AIDS AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES. THESE WERE REFERRED TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT FOR CONSIDERATION.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

COPIES OF THE TRANSPORT COMPLAINTS UNIT QUARTERLY REPORT NO. 2 IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION FROM THE GIS JUTY OFFICER.

GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO ANTI-SMOKING ACTION *****

THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO WARNING PEOPLE OF THE DANGERS OF SMOK ING AND IT WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S MAJOR PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS THIS YEAR, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE CANCER FIGHTERS COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT. MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT CIGARETTE SMOKING WAS DESCRIBED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION AS THE MAJOR AVOIDABLE CAUSE OF ILL HEALTH AND PREMATURE MORTALITY IN MANY COUNTRIES,

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