XN000022-1988-10-14 — Page 21

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1988

"ONLY WITH THEIR SUPPORT,

WE

CAN

HOPE TO

IN

1985-86

RECURRENCE OF THE DISASTROUS SITUATION SWEPT 6,300 HECTARES OF COUNTRY PARK AREAS, MILLION TREES."

PREVENT

THE

WHEN 306 FIRES

DESTROYING OVER HALF A

THE ACTING CHIEF ALSO PRESENT AT THE LAUNCHING CEREMONY WERE

MR DEPARTMENT, SERVICES FIRE FIRE OFFICER (NEW TERRITORIES) OF THE

HONG KONG OF THE SMITH JAMES HO, AND FLIGHT LIEUTENANT DON AUXILIARY AIR FORCE.

ROYAL

THE

MATTER NOT

THOSE

LIVING IN

MR IU SAID THAT MANY PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY URBAN AREAS, SEEMED TO THINK THAT COUNTRYSIDE FIRE WAS NOT A OF THEIR CONCERN PROBABLY BECAUSE THEIR LIVES AND PROPERTIES WERE ENDANGERED.

זז

FIRES DO COST HE SAID. "HILL "THIS IS A MISTAKEN BELIEF,

FIGHTING ORGANISATIONS THE FIRE THE APART FROM

COST OF MONEY.

FUNDS OF PUBLIC THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT INVOLVED, THE LOSS IN

PARKS COUNTRY ESTABLISHING GOVERNMENT PLANTATIONS AND DEVELOPING

IN

IS

ALSO CONSIDERABLE."

FIRES ALSO

SIGNIFICANT CAUSED IN ADDITION, MR IU SAID, HILL

QUALITY AND WILDLIFE HABITATS, DAMAGE TO THE VEGETATION, LANDSCAPE AND CAUSED EROSION OF SOIL, RESULTING IN SILTING UP OF STREAM COURSES.

"ALTHOUGH IT IS DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY ALL MONEY, THEY ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.

"SUCH DAMAGE

THESE IN TERMS OF IN TERMS OF TO OUR COMMUNITY

IN THE QUALITY

DETERIORATION OR COUNTRYSIDE ENVIRONMENT WOULD DEPRIVE MEMBERS OF ENJOYMENT OF THE COUNTRYSIDE,

HE ADDED.

OF THE THE PUBLIC OF THE

CAUSED MR IU POINTED OUT THAT ALL HILL FIRES IN HONG KONG WERE

IF EVERYONE BY HUMAN CARELESSNESS AND THEY COULD BE PREVENTED EASILY TOOK PROPER CARE IN HANDLING FIRES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE.

"COUNTRYSIDE VISITORS

AND

IN

A

FIRES ONLY BARBECUE LIGHT SHOULD

ALSO REFRAIN FROM DISCARDING SHOULD DESIGNATED BARBECUE PITS

NOT LEAVE SHOULD VILLAGERS AND BURNING CIGARETTE ENDS. FARMERS BURNING STACK OF HAY OR RUBBISH UNATTENDED," HE SAID.

MR IU ALSO URGED MEMBERS OF

THE PUBLIC INTENDING

DURING THE

TO VISIT YEUNG

CHUNG

THEIR ANCESTORS' GRAVES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE FESTIVAL NEXT WEEK TO BE ON SPECIAL GUARD AGAINST HILL FIRES.

"THEY SHOULD LIGHT JOSS PAPERS ONLY NEVER LEAVE BURNING JOSS STICKS UNATTENDED,

то IGNORE THESE

IN

"

METAL HE SAID.

PREVENTIVE

CONTAINERS

AND

CHOSE ANYONE WHO COMMITTING AN OFFENCE AND WAS LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT, MR IU WARNED.

MEASURES

WAS

$5,000

AND

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