XN000022-1975-04-23 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1975.

'MINI CHEQUE SYSTEM PROPOSED

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SYSTEM

THE HON. WILSON WANG TODAY ADVOCATED A MINI CHEQUE UNDER WHICH CHEQUES FOR A LIMITED AMOUNT WOULD BE EITHER EXEMPTED FROM STAMP DUTY OR SUBJECT TO A LESSER DUTY THAN THE PRESENT 30 CENTS.

WOULD HELP ENCOURAGE THE USE OF

SUCH A SYSTEM, HE FELT, CHEQUES FOR SMALLER AMOUNTS BY THE TREASURY AS WELL AS THE SECURITY.

A PRACTICE THAT WOULD BE WELCOMED POLICE AS THIS WOULD OFFER BETTER

MR. WANG MADE THE SUGGESTION WHEN COMMENTING ON THE STAMP (AMENDMENT) BILL WHICH GIVES LEGISLATIVE EFFECT TO BUDGET

PROPOSALS INCREASING FIXED DUTY TO 30 CENTS ON CHEQUES AND ALLIED INSTRUMENTS.

THE BILL WAS PASSED BY COUNCIL ALONG WITH THREE OTHERS. THESE WERE: THE COMPANIES (AMENDMENT) BILL, THE MOCK AUCTIONS BILL, AND THE FIRE SERVICES (AMENDMENT) BILL.

SIX OTHER BILLS WERE INTRODUCED INTO THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR FIRST AND SECOND READINGS. THEY INCLUDED THE BANKING (AMENDMENT) BILL, THE BETTING DUTY (AMENDMENT) BILL, THE BUSINESS REGISTRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL, THE ENTERTAINMENTS TAX (AMENDMENT) BILL THE STAMP (AMENDMENT) (NO.2) BILL, AND THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (AMENDMENT)

BILL.

EXCEPT FOR THE LAST, ALL THESE BILLS ARE DESIGNED TO GIVE LEGISLATIVE EFFECT TO PROPOSALS MADE BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY - IN HIS BUDGET SPEECH.

HONG KONG'S POPULATION ESTIMATED AT 4.33 MILLION

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THE ESTIMATED POPULATION AT THE END OF DECEMBER 1974 WAS 4,338,200, THE COMMISSIONER FOR CENSUS AND STATISTICS SAID TODAY.

THIS IS AN INCREASE OF 118,900 OVER THE END-YEAR ESTIMATE FOR 1973. THE BALANCE OF BIRTHS OVER DEATHS OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS WAS 61.552. THE REMAINDER OF THE INCREASE REPRESENTS THE BALANCE OF MOVEMENTS INTO AND OUT OF HONG KONG, WHICH INDICATES A NET INFLOW OF 57,360 PERSONS OVER THE SAME PERIOD.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BIRTHS FOR 1974 WAS 83,581, 1,329 MORE THAN IN 1973. THE CRUDE BIRTH RATE WAS 19.7 PER THOUSAND POPULATION, VIRTUALLY THE SAME AS FOR 1973.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS FOR THE SAME PERIOD WAS 22,029 COMPARED TO 21,251 IN 1973. THE CRUDE DEATH RATE WAS 5.2 PÉR THOUSAND POPULATION AGAIN, LITTLE CHANGE.

THE FIGURES OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS ARE BASED UPON EVENTS OCCURRING RATHER THAN UPON REGISTRATIONS MADE AND THEREFORE DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM THOSE RELEASED BY THE REGISTRAR GENERAL.

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