XN000022-1975-03-19 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1975

BASED ON VARIOUS ASSUMPTIONS.

HE ESTIMATED THAT TOTAL REVENUE FOR THE FIVE YEARS 1974/75 TO 1978/79 WOULD AMOUNT TO SOME $39,500 MILLION, BUT MORE THAN THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE RAISED, HE SAID, IF SOCIAL SERVICES WERE TO BE RESTORED TO DESIRABLE LEVELS AND IF PROJECTS OF GREAT NECESSITY WERE TO BE PUT BACK IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.

HE WELCOMED EFFORTS TO DEVISE MEANS OF RAISING MORE REVENUE FROM BETTING BY DRAWING GAMBLING AWAY FROM ILLEGAL OUTLETS, AND PERSONALLY WAS CONVINCED THAT VERY SUBSTANTIAL SUMS OF THE ORDER OF $400 MILLION TO $500 MILLION A YEAR COULD DE RAISED FROM GAMBLING.

+THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, INDEED EVEN A CLERGYMAN, SUPPORTS RAISING MORE MONEY FROM THIS SERVICE, AND I WOULD WISH THAT QUICKER PROGRESS CAN BE MADE IN THIS DIRECTION, HE SAID.

ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, MR. CHEUNG NOTED THAT PROVISION OF $215 MILLION WAS NOW BEING MADE FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND DISABILITY AND INFIRMITY ALLOWANCES COMPARED TO $35.5 MILLION TWO YEARS AGO. AT PRESENT 40,000 CASES WERE RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND 50,000 DISABILITY AND INFIRMITY ALLOWANCES.

THE MONEY IS DESERVEDLY PAID OUT, SAID MR. CHEUNG, BUT HE WAS ANXIOUS THAT ASSISTANCE SHOULD NOT CONTINUE TO BE GIVEN ONCE THE RECIPIENT CEASES TO FALL WITHIN THE DEFINED CRITERIA.+ CONSTANT VIGILANCE HAD TO BE EXCERCISED TO SEE THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN, HE STRESSED.

TOUCHING ON THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S PROPOSAL TO BORROW FUNDS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, MR. CHEUNG SAID HE WELCOMED THIS AND AGREED THAT THE FIRST VENTURES IN THIS REGARD SHOULD BE MODEST. HE RESERVED COMMENT ON WHETHER THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S LIMITATIONS AND GUIDELINES WERE CORRECT.

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