XN000022-1974-06-18 — Page 9

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TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 1974

MR. FRY SINGLED OUT RATING AS THE MAIN THEME OF HIS SPEECH. HE SPOKE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF RATING IN HONG KONG, EXPLAINED WHAT RATES WERE ALL ABOUT, AND TALKED ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RATI.IG FIELD.

HE NOTED THAT APART FROM THE TWO PER CENT CHARGE FOR WATER, RATES HAD BEEN CREDITED DIRECT TO GENERAL REVENUE AND NOT APPROPRIATED TO ANY PARTICULAR SERVICES BETWEEN 1888 AND 1973. THUS RATES FORMED AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE LOCAL TAXATION SYSTEM.

HOWEVER, SINCE APRIL 1, LAST YEAR, TWO-FIFTHS OF THE RATE CHARGED IN THE URBAN AREAS GOES TO THE RECONSTITUTED URBAN COUNCIL TO PAY FOR MANY OF THE SERVICES FOR WHICH IT IS NOW RESPONSIBLE.

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HE SAID RATES WERE BASED ON RENTS WITH THE ASSESSMENT OF RATEABLE VALUES DEPENDING ON MARKET RENTS

THE IMPORTANT THING WITH RATING, HE SAID, WAS TO ENSURE THAT ASSESSMENTS WOULD COMPARE FAIRLY AND THUS ALL THIS WORK WAS DONE BY PROFESSIONAL VALUERS WHO ARE QUALIFIED

CHARTERED SURVEYORS,

FAMILIES ACCEPTED ACCOMMODATION IN LICENSED AREA

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MORE THAN 500 FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE KOWLOON BAY CLEARANCE SCHEDULED ON JUNE 27 HAVE TAKEN UP LICENSED AREA SITES OFFERED BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.

IN FACT, MANY OF THEM HAVE ALREADY MOVED INTO THEIR NEW HOMES IN SUCH A SITE ON THE KOWLOON BAY RECLAMATION, LEAVING UNLY A FEW FAMILIES WHICH HAVE STILL NOT APPROACHED THE DEPARTMENT FOR SITE ALLOCATION.

THE LAND TO BE CLEARED WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THE BUILDING

OF THE AIRPORT TUNNEL ROAD.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT TODAY REMINDED DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL SQUATTERS IN THE AREA THAT THERE WERE ONLY 7 DAYS LEFT BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT CLEARANCE WOULD START.

+THEY SHOULD MAKE GOOD USE OF 'THE TIME AVAILABLE TO MOVE OUT THEIR PERSONAL BELONGINGS OR MACHINERY, + THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

HE REITERATED THAT THEIR OCCUPATION OF THE LAND THERE WAS ILLEGAL, AND THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CROWN LAND ORDINANCE ANY PROPERTY LEFT ON THE SITE AFTER JUNE 26, 1974 WOULD BECOME THE PROPERTY OF THE CROWN ON EXPIRY OF THE STATUTORY NOTICES WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN POSTED.

IN ADDITION, ANY PERSONS WHO FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THIS NOTICE RENDER THEMSELVES ON CONVICTION TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $10,000 AND 6 MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT.

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