WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1978
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NEW GOVERNMENT SECONDARY SCHOOL FOR LANTAU
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A NEW 12-CLASSROOM GOVERNMENT SECONDARY SCHOOL WOULD BE BUILT IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF LANTAU ISLAND TO OPEN IN SEPTEMBER 1981. THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON. COLVYN HAYE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. CHARLES YEUNG, WHO ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD PROVIDE THE GROWING STUDENT POPULATION ON LANTAU ISLAND WITH SUFFICIENT SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO SAVE THEM FROM TRAVELLING TO AND FROM SCHOOLS SITUATED ON HONG KONG ISLAND OR IN KOWLOON.
MR. HAYE SAID THAT THE NEW SCHOOL, ALONG WITH THE EXISTING AIDED SECONDARY SCHOOL AT TAI 0, WOULD PROVIDE SUFFICIENT PLACES TO MEET THE ESTIMATED DEMAND FROM THE 12 TO 16 AGE GROUP ON LANTAU ISLAND FOR FORM 1 TO 5 PLACES BY 1983.
10 YEAR DRIVING LICENCE ISSUE
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A FIXED FEE FOR A LICENCE VALID FOR 10 YEARS WOULD NEED EITHER TO BE VERY COSTLY OR IT WOULD LEAD TO A REDUCTION IN REVENUE, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY,
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. SIR SZE-YUEN CHUNG, MR. JONES ADDED THAT THE FEE CHARGED INCLUDES A SUBSTANTIAL TAX ELEMENT. THE ACTUAL COST OF PREPARING AND ISSUING LICENCES BEING ONLY ABOUT 20 PER CENT OF THE FEE.
HE SAID THE POLICY ON DRIVING LICENCES WAS DIFFERENT IN HONG KONG COMPARED TO THE U.K. AND IT WAS NOT CONSIDERED DESIRABLE TO EXTEND THE VALIDITY OF A DRIVING LICENCE HERE FROM THREE TO 10 YEARS ALTHOUGH DRIVING LICENCES ARE ISSUED TO A HOLDER IN U.K. UNTIL HE REACHES THE AGE OF 70.
MR. JONES NOTED U.K. DECIDED TO DO THIS BECAUSE OF THE HIGH ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF ISSUING LICENCES AND THE SEVERE STRAIN ON THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AT THE CENTRALISED NATIONAL LICENSING OFFICE.
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