XN000022-1993-04-07 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1993

DB CHAIRMEN SEE FIRE SERVICES OPERATION

TEN DISTRICT BOARD CHAIRMEN TODAY (WEDNESDAY) VISITED THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS ΤΟ SEE FOR THEMSELVES HOW THE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS TO FIRE AND EMERGENCY CALLS.

THEY TOURED THE COMMUNICATION CENTRE WHICH OPERATES ROUND-THE-CLOCK, AND WERE BRIEFED ON THE WORK OF THE COMPUTERISED MOBILISING SYSTEM.

THEY ALSO SAW A FIRE-FIGHTING DEMONSTRATION AND A DISPLAY OF AMBULANCE EQUIPMENT IN TSIM TUNG FIRE STATION.

THEY WERE ACCOMPANIED BY THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, MR LAM CHEK-YUEN, AND SENIOR OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT.

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ROLE FOR LOG INDUSTRY CONTINUING

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THERE IS A CONTINUING ROLE FOR THE LOG INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG, ACCORDING TO A RECENT SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT.

AT A MEETING THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON, AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR- GENERAL OF INDUSTRY, MR GAVIN

URE, EXPLAINED THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBER, MR ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP: THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG AND KOWLOON TIMBER MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION, MR WAI KAM-CHIU, AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION.

THE SURVEY, TARGETED AT ALL LOG POND TENANTS, MAJOR IMPORTERS OF LOGS AND SAWMILL OPERATORS, WAS CARRIED OUT ΤΟ EXAMINE THE IMPORTANCE AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE LOG INDUSTRY.

A TOTAL OF 122 QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT OUT. OF THE 62 WERE RETURNED, 43 WERE SUITABLE FOR ANALYSIS.

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MR URE SAID THE SURVEY SHOWED THAT THE YAM O LOG PONDS STORED ABOUT 60 PER CENT OF THE LOGS IMPORTED ANNUALLY INTO HONG KONG.

"THEY ARE A MAJOR SOURCE OF SUPPLY TO THE LOCAL SAWMILLS WHO SUPPLY MOST OF THE LOCAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SAWNWOOD.

"THE SURVEY ALSO SHOWS THAT THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IS MAJOR BUYER OF LOCALLY SAWN LOGS, ABSORBING SOME 84 PER CENT OF LOGS SAWN ANNUALLY.

"THE NEED FOR LONG-TERM REPROVISIONING OF ALL THE LOG PONDS YAM O IS NOW BEING CONSIDERED BY THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT BASED ON RESULTS OF THIS SURVEY, MR URE SAID.

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