WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1982
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THE FULL CHARGE ALREADY APPLIED TO 35 OUT OF THE 44 RATING AREAS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
+OF THE BALANCE OF NINE RATING AREAS, FIVE WILL BE IN THEIR SIXTH YEAR OF ASSESSMENT IN 1982-83, AND THE FULL CHARGE OF 11 PER CENT SHOULD BE APPLIED TO THÉM.
+THE REMAINING FOUR AREAS WILL BE IN THEIR THIRD YEAR OF ASSESSMENT, AND THE CHARGE FOR THEM SHOULD BE 70 PER CENT OF THE FULL CHARGÉ, OR 8 PER CENT, HE SAID.
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION, MR CHARLES YEUNG CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO ALLOCATE A PORTION OF THE RATES GENERATED FROM THE DISTRICTS FOR THE USE OF DISTRICT BOARDS.
HE NOTED THAT A PROPORTION OF THE RATES IN THE URBAN AREA HAD BEEN ALLOCATED TO THE URBAN COUNCIL SINCE APRIL 1973 TO MEET ITS LOCAL EXPENDITURE AND GROWTH WITHOUT RECOURSE TO AN ANNUAL GRANT FROM THE GENERAL REVENUE.
THIS FINANCIAL AUTONOMY HAD ENABLED THE URBAN COUNCIL TO INITIATE AND PROVIDE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS FACILITIES AND ACTIVITIES.
IN ADDITION, MR YEUNG SAID, FUNDS HAD ALSO BEEN ALLOCATED FROM THE GENERAL REVENUE TO THE EIGHT ADVISORY BOARDS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES SINCE THEIR FORMATION FOR LOCAL USE TO AUGMENT CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND TO IMPROVE THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT.
*WITH THE PLANNED PROGRAMME FOR THE FORMATION OF DISTRICT BOARDS THROUGHOUT HONG KONG AND THE NEW TERRITORIES, IT IS HIGH TIME THAT GOVERNMENT GAVE SERIOUS THOUGHT TO THE ALLOCATION OF A PORTION OF THE RATES GENERATED FROM THE DISTRICTS, FOR THE USE OF DISTRICT BOARDS, IN LINE WITH THE PROCEDURE FOR URBAN COUNCIL RATES.
+THE SUCCESS ACHIEVED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL IN THE DISBURSEMENT OF ITS RATES WILL PROVIDE A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR THE DISTRICT BOARDS IN USING DISTRICT BOARD RATES, IF I MAY BE ALLOWED TO PROPOSE THE NAME,+ SAID MR YEUNG.
EIGHT BILLS PASSED
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EIGHT BILLS WERE PASSED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THEY ARE THE BANKING (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982, THE DEPOSIT- TAKING COMPANIES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982, THE ARBITRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982, THE MISCELLANEOUS LICENCES (AMENDMENT) (NO.2) BILL 1982, THE POLICE FORCE (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982, THE APPRENTICESHIP (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982, LEGAL AID (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982 AND THE HOUSING (AMENDMENT) BİLL 1982.
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