XN000022-1974-05-17 — Page 7

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1974

A TOTAL OF OVER 200 POULTRY FARMS WERE VISITED. THE FARMERS ALL APPROVED OF THE SCHEME BUT SAID THAT THE COLLECTION POINTS MUST BE CONVENIENTLY LOCATED.

+IF THIS PILOT SCHEME PROVES SUCCESSFUL, WE WILL INSTALL BIGGER MACHINES AND SET UP ANOTHER 19 COLLECTION CENTRES TO HANDLE THE TREATMENT OF POULTRY MANURE. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO ENCOURAGE CHANGES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PIG FARMS WHICH WILL GREATLY REDUCE THE PRESENT POLLUTION CAUSED BY PIG WASTE, MR. YIP SAID.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

COPIES OF A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE POULTRY MANURE DRYER WILL BE BOXED TODAY.

$185 MILLION SURPLUS IN FEBRUARY

* * * * * *

THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 1974 SHOW A SURPLUS OF $185 MILLION COMPARED WITH A SURPLUS OF $173 MILLION IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR.

THIS HAS RESULTED IN A TOTAL SURPLUS OF $510 MILLION FOR THE FIRST ELEVEN MONTHS OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1973-74.

TOTAL REVENUE FOR THE MONTH AT $592 MILLION WAS $97 MILLION MORE THAN IN FEBRUARY 1973 LARGELY AS A RESULT OF INCREASED COLLECTIONS IN RESPECT OF EARNINGS AND PROFITS TAXES. THE TOTAL REVENUE FOR THE FIRST ELEVEN MONTHS OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1973-74 AT $4,770 MILLION WAS $32 MILLION HORE THAN THE SAME PERIOD THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

TOTAL EXPENDITURE AMOUNTED TO $406 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF $85 MILLION OVER THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR MAINLY BECAUSE OF INCREASED SPENDING ON PERSONAL EMOLUMENTS AND PROJECTS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.

THIS BRINGS THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE FOR THE FIRST ELEVEN MONTHS OF THE 1973-74 FINANCIAL YEAR TO $4,260 MILLION, WHICH WAS $898 MILLION MORE THAN THE SAME PERIOD THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

EXPENDITURE IN THESE ELEVEN MONTHS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE TRANSFER OF $300 MILLION FINANCE COMMITTEE HAS APPROVED FOR THE MASS TRANSIT FUND. THIS WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE ACCOUNTS FOR MARCH.

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