WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1984
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PRIVATE BILL FEES RAISED TO $25 000
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THE REVISED $25 000 FEE FOR PRESENTING A PRIVATE BILL PROPOSED IN THE PRIVATE BILLS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1984 WAS +PROBABLY MORE REALISTIC+, THAN THE EXISTING $500 FEE, FIXED WHEN THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE WAS ENACTED 70 YEARS AGO, THE HON PETER C. WONG, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY,
BUT HE PERSONALLY SUSPECTED THAT THE NEW CHARGE WAS +STILL ON THE LOW SIDE+, HE SAID, AND SUGGESTED THAT IT SHOULD BE KEPT UNDER REVIEW AT REASONABLE INTERVALS.
MR WONG SAID THAT CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED, AS THE CHIEF SECRETARY WAS EMPOWERED TO WAIVE FEES FOR PRIVATE BILLS WHICH WERE FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES. AS POINTED OUT BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MOST PRIVATE BILLS FELL UNDER THAT CATEGORY.
HE SAID ALSO THAT THE DEFINITION OF +PRIVATE BILL+ CONTAINED IN SECTION 2 OF THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE WAS +SOMEWHAT POMPOUS+.
AFTER CAREFUL EXCHANGE OF VIEWS, HE SAID, THE ADMINISTRATION HAD AGREED TO RE-DRAFT THE DEFINITION IN A LANGUAGE MORE READILY UNDERSTOOD BY THE ORDINARY PERSON.
THE BILL WAS AMONG FIVE BILLS APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.
FIVE BILLS APPROVED
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FIVE BILLS WERE APPROVED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THEY ARE THE SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION (1983-84) BILL 1984, THE PRIVATE BILLS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1984. THE PUBLIC BUS SERVICES (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL 1984, THE DEMOLISHED BUILDINGS (RE-DEVELOPMENT OF SITES) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1984 AND ONE
UNOFFICIAL MEMBER'S BILL, THE STANDARD CHARTERED ASIA LIMITED BILL 1984.
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