XN000022-1987-02-24 — Page 13

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1987

EARLIER, THE YAU MA TEI KAIFONG WELFARE ASSOCIATION ALSO LAUNCHED A DONATION DRIVE AND RAISED $17 000 FOR THE FUND, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

HE AGAIN CALLED ON THE PUBLIC TO LEND THEIR SUPPORT TO THE FUND WHICH WOULD BENEFIT HONG KONG'S EDUCATION.

+DONATIONS CAN BE MADE AT ANY DISTRICT OFFICE, HE SAID.

WORK TO START ON PUBLIC WORKS CENTRAL LABORATORY

*****

WORK ON BUILDING THE GOVERNMENT'S PUBLIC WORKS CENTRAL LABORATORY IN KOWLOON BAY WILL BEGIN NEXT MONTH.

THIS FOLLOWS THE SIGNING OF A $4.27 MILLION ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT CONTRACT FOR PILING WORK.

FOUNDATION WORK WILL START ON MARCH 9 AND TAKE FOUR MONTHS TO COMPLETE. IT WILL BE FOLLOWED IN SEPTEMBER BY THE BUILDING OF A FOUR-STOREY SUPERSTRUCTURE TO HOUSE THE NEW LABORATORY WHICH WILL BE STAFFED BY SPECIALISTS FROM THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE (GCO) OF THE CIVIL ENGINEERING SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

AT PRESENT, THERE ARE SIX BRANCH AND ONE CENTRAL PUBLIC WORKS LABORATORIES OPERATING UNDER THE MATERIALS DIVISION OF THE GCO. THEY PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE TESTING SERVICE TO ALL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ON MOST CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IN HONG KONG, WITH EMPHASIS ON SOIL, CONCRETE, STEEL AND BITUMINOUS MATERIALS.

THE SENIOR GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER, MR J.M. SHEN, SAID: +MANY OF THE GOVERNMENT'S BUILDING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECTS HAVE TO BE CONSTRUCTED ON THE STEEP SLOPES WHICH ARE A COMMON FEATURE OF HONG KONG'S TERRAIN, THE GEOTECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THESE REQUIRE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION AND ARE OFTEN RESPONSIBLE FOR A MAJOR PART OF THE OVERALL COST.

+THE NEW LABORATORY WILL HELP TO ENSURE THAT ECONOMIC ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS ARE ACHIEVED CONSISTENT WITH HIGH STANDARDS OF DESIGN, SAFETY AND CONSTRUCTION. +

/LAST YEAR,