5.
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1983
NT HAWKER LICENCE AND PITCH FEES INCREASED
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED INCREASES FOR HAWKER LICENCE AND PITCH FEES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND URBAN SERVICES ORDINANCE.
THE NEW FEES WILL COME INTO FORCE FROM TUESDAY (MARCH 1), SAID A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
THE REVISED FEES WHICH APPLY TO FIXED PITCH AND ITINERANT HAWKERS, MOBILE VAN OPERATORS, FROZEN CONFECTIONERY TRADERS, TRADESMEN, TEMPORARY LICENCE HOLDERS, OPERATORS OF COOKED FOOD STALLS, REFRESHMENT STALLS AND NEWSPAPER PITCHES ARE PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.
THESE ARE THE FIRST FEE INCREASES FOR NT HAWKERS SINCE 1980. SIMILAR INCREASES WERE ANNOUNCED FOR URBAN HAWKERS IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR.
COMPARING THE NEW NT FEES WITH THOSE COMING INTO FORCE IN THE URBAN AREAS ON THE SAME DATE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID A COOKED FOOD OPERATOR, FOR EXAMPLE, TRADING IN THE URBAN AREA WOULD BE PAYING $11 040 FOR HIS ANNUAL FEE STARTING FROM MARCH 1, WHILE HIS COUNTERPART IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WOULD ONLY PAY $5 700 FOR THE LICENCE AND PITCH FEES COMBINED.
+THERE ARE AT PRESENT 7 258 LICENSED HAWKERS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES TO WHOM THESE FEES APPLY. THE NUMBER OF LICENSED NT HAWKERS IS GRADUALLY DROPPING AS THEY ARE BEING MOVED INTO PURPOSE-BUILT MARKETS AND BAZAARS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE INCREASES ARE NOT LIKELY TO CAUSE HARDSHIP TO THE OPERATORS, NOR SHOULD THEY AFFECT THE COST OF LIVING OF THE RESIDENTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, HE SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE HAWKERS' OVERHEADS ARE NEGLIGIBLE, COMPARED WITH THOSE OF SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS WITH WHICH THEY COMPETE FOR BUSINESS.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE HAWKER LICENCE AND PITCH FEES WOULD BE REVIEWED ANNUALLY IN THE FUTURE.
THE FOLLOWING