WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1977
GOVERNOR PREDICTS LARGER SURPLUS
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, PREDICTED TODAY THAT SUBJECT TO RESERVATION HONG KONG WOULD END UP WITH A SLIGHTLY LARGER SURPLUS THAN THAT FORECAST BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY.
SIR MURRAY WAS COMMENTING ON HONG KONG'S STATE OF PUBLIC FINANCES IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
HE SAID THAT THIS YEAR'S TOTAL EXPENDITURE WOULD BE ABOUT $100 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE OF $8,245 MILLION.
+ON RECURRENT ACCOUNT THIS PROJECTION ALLOWS FOR ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE AS A RESULT OF THE 1977 SALARIES REVISION, AND SOME OTHER PLUSSES AND MINUSES. ON CAPITAL ACCOUNT THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE ESTIMATE WILL REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT REVISION, HE SAID,
HOWEVER, SUBJECT TO ALL THE RESERVATIONS THAT MUST BE MADE AT THIS EARLY STAGE OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR, WE SHALL PROBABLY FINISH UP WITH A SLIGHTLY LARGER SURPLUS THAN PREDICTED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY.+
GOVERNOR WELCOMES NEW LEGCO MEMBERS ******
THE ADDITION OF A DISTINGUISHED ACADEMIC AND A NEW TERRITORIES PERSONALITY AND LAWYER TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CONTINUES THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF BROADENING THE PROFESSIONAL AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND FROM WHICH MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ARE ABLE TO SPEAK, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE SAID TODAY.
SIR MURRAY WAS WELCOMING AT THE OPENING SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TWO NEW UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, DR. RAYSON HUANG AND MR. CHARLES YEUNG, AND ONE OFFICIAL MEMBER, MR. JOHN WALDEN, DIRECTOR OF HOME AFFAIRS.
THE GOVERNOR SAID THE NUMBER OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS HAD INCREASED FROM 13 IN 1971 TO 24 NOW AND THE OVERALL SIZE OF THE COUNCIL FROM 26 TO 45.
+THIS REFLECTS THE STEADILY INCREASING BURDEN THAT THE COUNCIL IN GENERAL, AND ITS UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR CARRIES AND THE MULTIPLICITY OF TASKS THAT UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS PERFORM TO THE GREAT BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST, HE SAID.
+ IF, AS I SHOULD EXPECT, THE WORKLOAD OF UNOFFICIALS INCREASES WE SHOULD NOT EXCLUDE THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME FURTHER ADDITIONS TO THE COUNCIL IN DUE COURSE,+ HE ADDED.
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