XN000022-1975-03-20 — Page 9

THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1975

OPEN UP RESERVOIR AREAS FOR RECREATION

SAYS LEGCO UNOFFICIAL ******

THE HON. J.H. BREMRIDGE TODAY SUGGESTED THAT RESERVOIR AREAS SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES SUCH AS BOATING, FISHING AND SWIMMING, AS HAD BEEN DONE IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

+SOME OF THE RESERVOIRS BOTH ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES ARE IN LOVELY AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE COUNTRY, AND I CANNOT SEE ANY CASE FOR NOT OPENING THEM UP FOR DOATING AND KINDRED ACTIVITIES, HE SAID DURING THE BUDGET DEDATE.

NEITHER COULD HE UNDERSTAND ARGUMENTS THAT SUCH ACTIVITIES WOULD POLLUTE THE WATER, SINCE ALL RESERVOIR WATER SUPPLIES WERE FILTERED.

AS FOR THE COST, HE SAID A FEW FRANCHISES FOR BOAT OPERATORS, ICE-CREAM VENDORS ETC. SHOULD COVER THE TOTAL COST INVOLVED TO GOVERNMENT IN PROVIDING ACCESS.+

ON THE QUESTION OF HIGHER AIRPORT CHARGES, MR. BREMRIDGE AGREED THAT ALL WHO PROFITTED FROM THE AIRPORT SHOULD PAY THEIR SHARE TOWARDS THE CONSIDERABLE CAPITAL EXPENDITURE OVER THE COMING YEARS. BUT HE FELT THAT THE INCREASES MUST BE FAIRLY BASED, FAIRLY SPREAD OVER ALL USERS OF THE AIRPORT, AND NOT ARBITRARILY SURCHARGED ON A PORTION OF THE USERS.✨

WHILE IT WAS GRATIFYING THAT AIRPORT REVENUE IN 1975/76 WOULD INCREASE BY $33 MILLION TO $233 MILLION, THERE SHOULD BE SOME ASSURANCE THAT PROFITIBILITY IS KEPT WITHIN REASONABLE BOUNDS, HE ADDED. IN THIS REGARD, HE QUESTIONED WHY THE AIRPORT PROFITIBILITY COMMITTEE SHOULD BE COMPOSED ENTIRELY OF CIVIL SERVANTS.

MR. BREMRIDGE TOOK EXCEPTION WITH THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S PROPOSAL TO INTRODUCE A SURCHARGE ON AIRCRAFT MOVEMENTS BETWEEN 12 NOON AND 6 P.M.

+IT SEEMS TO ME TO BE IRRELEVANT THAT SUCH A SURCHARGE IS THE PRACTICE AT SOME OTHER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS, NOT LEAST BECAUSE MANY OF THOSE SO AFFLICTED ARE NOTORIOUSLY INEFFICIENT,+ HE SAID.

IN ANY CASE, THE PEAK HOURS AT KAI TAK WERE NOT BETWEEN 12 NOON AND 6 P.M. BUT FROM 2 P.M. TO 4.30 P.M., PURELY BECAUSE OF HONG KONG'S GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION AND THE CURFEW HOURS IN JAPAN. NOR WAS IT OPEN TO AIRLINES TO SURCHARGE THEIR FARES, HE SAID.

/HE ADDED: ...