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FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 1984
IN THE CASE OF LARGER DIAMETER CONNECTIONS, CHARGES MORE CLOSELY REFLECTED ACTUAL COSTS AND WOULD THEREFORE REMAIN UNCHANGED.
MR TOMLINSON SAID THE WATER TARIFF AND CHARGES WOULD, IN LINE WITH GOVERNMENT POLICY, GO METRIC. INITIALLY, BILLING WOULD BE UNDERTAKEN BY PRECISE CONVERSIONS OF THE OLD IMPERIAL UNITS BECAUSE IT WOULD TAKE SOME CONSIDERABLE TIME TO REPLACE ALL THE 1.25 MILLION METERS IN USE.
MR TOMLINSON SAID SALT WATER FOR FLUSHING WOULD REMAIN FREE OF CHARGE AND, AS FAR AS THOSE PREMISES USING FRESH WATER FOR FLUSHING WERE CONCERNED, THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED, WITH METRICATION, VIRTUALLY THE SAME QUANTITY OF FREE WATER AS IN THE PAST.
SHIPPING SUPPLIES CURRENTLY BILLED AT $7.60 PER IMPERIAL UNIT FOR NON-OCEAN-GOING VESSELS AND $16.60 PER UNIT FOR OCEAN-GOING VESSELS WOULD RISE BY 10 PER CENT.
APRIL 1 REMINDER TO DRIVERS
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THE FIXED PENALTY (TRAFFIC CONTRAVENTIONS) (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1981 AND THE FIXED PENALTY (CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS) (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1981 WILL COME INTO EFFECT FROM APRIL 1.
THESE AMENDMENT ORDINANCES, ANNOUNCED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY, ARE AIMED AT THE SMALL MINORITY OF PARKING OR TRAFFIC OFFENDERS WHO HAVE RECEIVED A FIXED PENALTY NOTICE, BUT NEITHER PAY THE IR FIXED PENALTY ON TIME NOR CONTEST THE OFFENCE.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF MOTORISTS WHO COMMIT OFFENCES RESULTING IN A FIXED PENALTY NOTICE WILL BE UNAFFECTED BY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AMENDMENT LEGISLATION.
THERE IS A VERY HIGH COMPLIANCE WITH THE FIXED PENALTY SYSTEM, AND MOST OFFENDERS PAY THE FINE ON TIME.
THE AMENDMENT ORDINANCES PROVIDE FOR AN ADDITIONAL PENALTY TO BE IMPOSED ON PERSONS WHO DO NOT PAY THE FIXED PENALTY WITHIN THE SPECIFIED PERIOD, AND FAIL TO NOTIFY THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE THAT THEY WISH TO DISPUTE THE OFFENCE. THE ADDITIONAL PENALTY WILL BE EQUAL TO THE ORIGINAL FIXED PENALTY. THUS FOR PARKING OFFENCES, THE ADDITIONAL PENALTY WILL BE $140, AND IT COULD BE AS HIGH AS $200 FOR THE MORE SERIOUS MOVING TRAFF IC OFFENCES.
THE ORDINANCES ALSO PROVIDE THAT THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT MAY REFUSE TO ISSUE OR RENEW THE DRIVING LICENCES AND VEHICLE LICENCES OF APPLICANTS UNTIL THEY HAVE SETTLED ALL OUTSTANDING FIXED PENALTIES AND ADDITIONAL PENALTIES.
THE SPOKESMAN