XN000022-1987-03-27 — Page 5

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1987

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+WHAT WE MUST BE CAREFUL ABOUT, HOWEVER, IS THAT THEY DO NOT EACH STEAM AHEAD REGARDLESS OF THE OTHERS, AND THAT THEY ARE CO-ORDINATED IN A WAY WHICH WILL ENSURE THAT THERE ARE STEADY GAINS IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE, MR BARNES CAUTIONED.

MR BARNES ALSO SAID THERE SHOULD BE A GREATER PROPORTION OF FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT AND REPLENISHING THE URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS NECESSARY AS MUCH OF THE HOUSING, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, WAS OLD AND WAS INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN,

HE ALSO SAID THE GAP BETWEEN THE GENERAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE URBAN AREAS AND THAT IN THE NEW TOWNS WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY MARKED.

MR BARNES ALSO NOTED THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAD DECIDED TO INCREASE THE PACE OF REDEVELOPMENT OF ITS HOUSING ESTATES WITH A VIEW TO REPLACING EVEN MARK 4'S BEFORE THE MID-1990'S.

HE FURTHER SAID THE CLEARANCE OF KOWLOON WALLED CITY AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WAS THE MEANS TO

INCREASE THE SPEED AND QUALITY OF REDEVELOPMENT OF THE OLDEST URBAN AREAS.

MR BARNES ALSO SAID THE CIVIL ENGINEERING OFFICE, IN COOPERATION WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, WAS EMBARKED ON A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE URBAN SEWERAGE SYSTEM.

HE ADDED THAT HIS BRANCH WAS WORKING OUT DETAILED USAGE AND THE ENGINEERING OF THE RECLAMATION SCHEMES TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC

INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE PORT AND THE URBAN AREAS.

TU BERCULOSIS CASES CONTINUE TO DROP

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THE NUMBER OF NEW NOTIFICATIONS AND DEATHS FROM TUBERCULOSIS CONTINUED TO DROP IN HONG KONG LAST YEAR, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR RUDY KHOO, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE HONG KONG TUBERCULOSIS, CHEST AND HEART DISEASES ASSOCIATION, DR KHOO SAID NOTIFICATION OF THE DISEASE HAD DROPPED LAST YEAR TO 7 432 FROM 7 545 IN 1985 AND THE NOTIFICATION RATE FELL TO 134.3 PER 100 000 POPULATION IN 1986 AS COMPARED WITH 139.1 PER 100 000 THE YEAR BEFORE.

/DEATHS FROM