XN000022-1987-03-06 — Page 4

FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1987

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SEMINAR ON WATER POLLUTION CONTROL NEEDS HELD

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MORE THAN 140 INDUSTRIALISTS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF TRADE ASSOCIATIONS ATTENDED AN INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT-ORGANISED SEMINAR TODAY (FRIDAY) ON HOW TO COMPLY WITH WATER POLLUTION CONTROL REQUIREMENTS.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MR PHILIP MACKLEY, EXPLAINED THAT THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO HELP BUSINESSMEN GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE AND THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL (GENERAL) REGULATIONS.

TOLO HARBOUR IS THE FIRST AREA TO BE DESIGNATED A WATER CONTROL ZONE AND FROM APRIL 1 THIS YEAR REGULATIONS WILL TAKE EFFECT.

MR MACKLEY SAID THAT THE SEMINAR WOULD BE REPEATED ON MARCH 20 WITH AN EXPECTED TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF ABOUT 140.

SPEAKERS FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL BRIEFED THOSE ATTENDING.

AMONG THE SUBJECTS COVERED WERE THE LEGISLATIVE CONTROL OF INDUSTRIAL LIQUID EFFLUENTS AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES THEY PLACE ON INDUSTRIALISTS. ALSO OFFERED WAS ADVICE ON PRACTICAL AND RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE METHODS OF EFFLUENT TREATMENT WHICH HAVE THE BENEFIT OF ALSO PRODUCING ENERGY SAVINGS.

GOVERNMENT'S HOS MORTGAGE FINANCE IN 1987

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SOME 62 FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ARE ACTIVELY PROVIDING MORTGAGE FINANCE FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME IN 1987.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE RESPONSE OF THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TOWARDS THIS YEAR'S MORTGAGE EXERCISE WAS EXCELLENT. THEIR COMMITMENT OF FUNDS SUBSTANTIALLY EXCEEDED THE ESTIMATED MORTGAGE FINANCE REQUIREMENT OF $3.4 BILLION, FOR SOME 12 000 FLATS TO BE SOLD THIS YEAR UNDER THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME (HOS) AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEME (PSPS).

+THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FAVOURABLE RESPONSE REFLECTS THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THIS WORTHY SCHEME, THE SPOKESMAN SAID. BY THE END OF 1986, SOME 70 000 FLATS HAD BEEN SOLD UNDER THE HOME OWNERSHIP AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEMES.

HOS AND