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SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1979
RATES ARREARS RECOVERED THROUGH SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL
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THE TREASURY HAS SUCCESSFULLY RECOVERED MORE THAN 70 PER CENT OF ARREARS FROM DEFAULTING RATE-PAYERS THROUGH THE SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL.
THE ARREARS RECOVERED TO DATE AMOUNT TO $2,896,645.09.
ACTION TO RECOVER THE BALANCE OF $980,000 IS WELL UNDER WAY,
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TREASURY SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).
+BY THE TIME WE HAVE DEALT WITH ALL THE OUTSTANDING ARREARS. WE WOULD HAVE HANDLED A TOTAL OF 6,078 CASES INVOLVING $3,876,149.94,+ HE ADDED.
IT ALL STARTED IN MID-1977 WHEN THE TREASURY TOOK OVER RESPONSIBILITY FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO ENFORCE CLAIMS FOR RATES ARREARS IN CASES NOT EXCEEDING $3,000.
*WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE REGISTRAR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT, OUR STAFF BEGAN TO DELVE THROUGH RECORDS AS WELL AS CARRYING OUT SPOT INVESTIGATION, THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED.
THE SPOKESMAN ATTRIBUTED THE SUCCESSFUL OPERATION TO THE IR ABILITY TO INSTITUTE PROCEEDINGS DIRECTLY AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL.
HE SAID: +IF REMINDERS ARE IGNORED, LEGAL ACTION IS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN AGAINST DEFAULTERS.+
HE URGED ALL RATE-PAYERS TO SETTLE THEIR ACCOUNTS BY THE DUE DATE SPECIFIED.
IF NOT, THESE ACCOUNTS MAY BE SUBJECT TO A SURCHARGE OF FIVE PER CENT. A FURTHER SURCHARGE OF 10 PER CENT MAY BE ADDED TO ACCOUNTS (INCLUDING THE NORMAL FIVE PER CENT SURCHARGE) WHICH REMAIN UNPAID SIX MONTHS AFTER THE DUE DATE.
+DEFAULTERS THEREFORE + HE WARNED, WILL NOT ONLY FACE THESE SURCHARGES BUT MAY ALSO BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 500,000 RATEABLE PROPERTIES IN HONG KONG AND GOVERNMENT'S TOTAL REVENUE FROM GENERAL RATES IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1977-1978 AMOUNTED TO $722.87 MILLION.
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