XN000022-1974-07-12 — Page 6

FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1974

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UNDER THE CLEAN AIR ORDINANCE, AN OCCUPIER ANY PREMISES WITHIN THE SMOKE CONTROL AREA WHO OPERATES A PIACE, OVEN OR CHIMNEY EMITTING DARK SMOKE FOR MORE THAN SIX HINUTES IN A PERIOD OF FOUR HOURS, OR MORE THAN THREE HINUTES AT ANY CHE THE, IS LIABLE TO A $2,000 FINE. HE CAN ALSO BE FINED $50 FOR EVERY.. 15 MINUTES DURING WHICH THE OFFENCE CONTINUES.

IN APRIL THIS YEAR, THE CHEUNG SHA WAN- SHAM SHUI PO DISTRICT WAS DECLARED A SHOKE CONTROL AREA. THE OTHER FOUR SHOKE CONTROL AREAS SO FAR DECLARED ARE KUUN TONG CIN 1950), SHA TIN CIN 1962). NORTH POINT (IN 1954) AND TSUEN WAN LAST YEAR.

$439 M. DEFICIT RECORDED IN MARCH

BUT 1973/74 ACCOUNTS STILL SHOW SURPLUS OF $72 M.

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THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 1974 SHOW A DEFICIT OF $439HILLION COMPARED WITH A DEFICIT OF $440 MILLION IN MARCH LAST YEAR.

TOTAL REVENUE FOR THE MONTH AT $471 MILLION WAS $28 MILLION LESS THAN IN MARCH 1973. THE TOTAL REVENUE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1973-1974 AT $5.241 MILLION WAS $305 MILLION MORE THAN 1972-73. IT IS $35 MILLION LESS THAN THE REVISED ESTIMATE SHOWN IN THE ESTIMATES OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 1975, LARGELY AS A RESULT OF LESS LAND BEING PUT UP FOR SALE THAN WAS ANTICIPATED WHEN THE REVISED ESTIMATE WAS PREPARED.

TOTAL EXPENDITURE FOR THE MONTH AMOUNTED TO $909 MILLION, WHICH INCLUDED $300 MILLION TOWARDS THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE EQUITY OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION. THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1973-74 WAS $5.169 MILLION — $070 MILLION MORE THAN 1972-73. THE REVISED ESTIMATE OF EXPENDITURE INCLUDED IN THE ESTIMATES OF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 1975 WAS $4,833 MILLION TO WHICH SHOULD BE ADDED THE $300 MILLION TRANSFERRED TO THE MASS TRANSIT FUND TO GIVE A TOTAL OF $5,133 MILLION.

THE $36 MILLION BY WHICH ACTUAL EXPENDITURE HAS THUS EXCEEDED THE REVISED ESTIMATE IS LARGELY ACCOUNTED FOR CY A SLIGHTLY HIGHER RATE OF EXPENDITURE IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMIE THAN WAS EXPECTED WHEN THE ESTIMATES WERE PREPARED.

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AS A RESULT OF REVENUE BEING SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN THE REVISED ESTIMATE AND EXPENDITURE BEING SLIGHTLY HIGHER, THE SURPLUS FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1973-74 IS $72 MILLION COMPARED WITH $537 MILLION FOR 1972-73 AND THE REVISED ESTIMATE OF $143 MILLION IN THE ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 1975 AFTER ALLOWING FOR THE TRANSFER TO THE MASS TRANSIT FUND.