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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1979
+THIS THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO DO AND FULL SURVEYS OF THE TAXI TRADE WILL BE CONDUCTED NEXT MONTH, IN MARCH, AND IN MAY OF THIS YEAR,+ HE SAID.
WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND THE SITUATION WAS REVIEWED, HE SAID MR. CHEONG-LEEN'S IDEAS MIGHT, OR MIGHT NOT, COMMEND THEMSELVES. ANY ACTION TAKEN AFTER THE REVIEW WOULD NOT PRECLUDE FURTHER CHANGES IN FARES IT WOULD NOT PRECLUDE PROPOSALS
TO RAISE, LOWER OR READJUST THE BALANCE OF THE FARES OR, TO LEAVE THEM AS THEY ARE.
HE SAID HE WOULD STRONGLY REFUTE THE SUGGESTIONS BY THE TWO SPEAKERS THAT GOVERNMENT'S ACTION WILL ENCOURAGE
INFLATION.
+ I WOULD REMIND THEM THAT, APART FROM ONE ADJUSTMENT IN THE FLAG FALL CHARGE FROM $1.50 TO $2 IN 1974, TAXI FARES ON HONG KONG ISLAND HAD REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE 1946, THAT IS FOR 33 YEARS.
+ IN REAL TERMS THE NEW FARES ARE STILL, ON AVERAGE, LOWER THAN THEY WERE, SAY, 10 YEARS AGO AND MUCH LOWER THAN IN EARLIER YEARS AND I CANNOT SEE HOW, IN ITSELF, THIS CAN BE CONSIDERED INFLATIONARY.
+SO I HOPE THESE SORT OF ACCUSATIONS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, MR. JONES SAID.
IN GOVERNMENT'S VIEW, HE SAID, THE PACKAGE WHICH HAS BEEN INTRODUCED FOR TAXIS, INCLUDING FARE INCREASE, MUST BE GIVEN TIME TO WORK BEFORE A PROPER ASSESSMENT COULD BE MADE OF ITS EFFECTS.
+THIS WILL BE DONE IN THE LIGHT OF THE FULL REVIEWS I HAVE REFERRED TO AND, IF NECESSARY, FURTHER ADJUSTMENTS IN FARES WILL THEN BE PROPOSED.
+ IN THE MEANTIME IT IS FELT THAT THIS MOTION IS PREMATURE AND IT MUST THEREFORE BE OPPOSED, HE SAID.
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