FRIDAY, MAY 18, 1979
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DR. BUTLER CONCEDED THAT IN TRYING TO ACHIEVE A GREATER THROUGH-PUT OF TRAFFIC, THE CO-ORDINATION OF THE EXECUTION OF ROAD WORKS WITH THE TRAFFIC AUTHORITIES SHOULD BE LOOKED AT EVEN MORE CLOSELY.
HE SAID THAT SOME CRITICS OF THE TRANSPORT WHITE PAPER HAD POINTED OUT THAT $4,000 MILLION OUT OF THE $7,000 MILLION TO BE SPENT ON IMPROVING HONG KONG'S ROAD NETWORK WILL BE SPENT ON NEW TERRITORIES ROADS AND HAVE URGED THAT MORE SHOULD BE SPENT IN EXISTING URBAN AREAS,
+I DON'T AGREE, HE STATED, ADDING IT IS TO THE NEW TERRITORIES THAT MORE AND MORE OF OUR PEOPLE WILL BE MOVING OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OR SO. IN EXISTING URBAN AREAS THE SCOPE FOR BUILDING NEW ROADS IS LIMITED AND THE COST OF DOING SO, OR OF DOUBLE DECKING EXISTING ROADS, IS ASTRONOMICAL BOTH IN DOLLAR AND ENVIRONMENTAL TERMS.+
DR. BUTLER ALSO POINTED OUT THAT OF THE $4,000 MILLION EARMARKED FOR ROADS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES $1,500 MILLION WAS FOR A LANTAU FIXED CROSSING ABOUT WHICH NO DECISION HAS YET BEEN MADE.
NEW BILL PROPOSES APPOINTMENT OF REGISTRAR OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS
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THE REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, DEATHS AND ADOPTION (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) BILL 1979 WHICH SEEKS TO AMEND THE BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE, TO ENABLE THE GOVERNOR TO APPOINT AN OFFICER TO BE REGISTRAR OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS, WAS GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY).
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID IF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL PASSED THE BILL THE INTENTION WAS THAT THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION, AS COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION, SHOULD BE APPOINTED REGISTRAR OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS WITH THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT SERVING AS THE GENERAL REGISTER OFFICE.
AT THE SAME TIME THE DIRECTOR WOULD ALSO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGES IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.
+THE MARRIAGE ORDINANCE, DOES NOT REQUIRE AMENDMENT AS IT ALREADY CONTAINS A PROVISION SIMILAR TO THAT NOW PROPOSED FOR THE BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE, HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE DECISION WAS A LOGICAL EXTENSION OF THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PERSONAL DOCUMENTATION WHICH ALREADY INCLUDE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND IDENTITY CARDS,
HE STRESSED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO CHANGES AFFECTING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
THE REGISTRIES WOULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS THEY ARE OPERATING NOW AND MARRIAGE CEREMONIES IN PARTICULAR WOULD CONTINUE TO BE CONDUCTED BY DEPUTY REGISTRARS OF MARRIAGE AS AT PRESENT, HE ADDED.
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