XN000022-1977-01-05 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1977

MR. JONES SAID, HOWEVER, +WHATEVER WE DO, WHETHER THROUGH SPECIAL RESTRICTED SALES OF LAND TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR IN ACTIONS THROUGH GOVERNMENTAL OR QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, I FEEL THAT WE MUST TREAD WARILY AND TEST THE GROUND AS WE GO.+

TURNING TO MR. CHEONG-LEEN'S SUGGESTION THAT A SPECIAL UNIT MIGHT BE SET UP TO STUDY THE NEEDS OF SMALL INDUSTRIES, HE SAID THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT, WITH THE HELP OF THE TRADE AND INDUSTRY ADVISORY BOARD, HAD BEEN STUDYING THE PROBLEMS OF HONG KONG INDUSTRY, INCLUDING SMALL INDUSTRY, FOR A GREAT MANY YEARS.

+FURTHERMORE, THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE HAS IN THE COURSE OF ITS WORK BEEN PAYING SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS OF SMALL INDUSTRY, AND SO HAVE THE VARIOUS INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS, + HE SAID, AND THE BANKS ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF THE CREDIT- WORTHINESS OF DIFFERENT OPERATORS.+

+SO A GREAT DEAL IS KNOWN ALREADY ABOUT THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF SMALL INDUSTRY AND I AM SURE THAT ASSISTANCE CAN BE OBTAINED FROM ALL THESE ORGANISATIONS BY THOSE WILLING TO SEEK IT, HE ADDED.

GENERAL RATE ONE OF H.K.'S INDIRECT TAXES

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THE GENERAL RATE NOW PAYABLE AT 12 PER CENT OF RATEABLE VALUES IS NOT INTENDED TO MEET THE COSTS OF POLICE, STREET LIGHTING, WATER SUPPLY AND FIRE SERVICES, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

REPLYING TO QUESTIONS FROM DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG, HE SAID THE GENERAL RATE WITH TEMPORARY REDUCTIONS FOR NEWLY RATED AREAS

IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WAS JUST ONE OF HONG KONG'S INDIRECT TAXES.

+ THE REVENUE IT YIELDS IS NOT USED TO FINANCE ANY SPECIFIC HEADS OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE, MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID,

IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION BY DR. CHUNG ON THE URBAN COUNCIL RATE, NOW PAYABLE AT SIX PER CENT OF RATEABLE VALUES, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DENYS ROBERTS SAID: THE URBAN COUNCIL RATE MAY BE USED FOR EXPENDITURE ON ANY OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL, AUTHORISED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL ORDINANCE.+

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