XN000022-1977-01-19 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1977

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+WITH REGARD TO THE LIMIT OF $2,000 FOR ANY ONE CREDITOR IN RESPECT OF WAGES IN LIEU OF NOTICE, THIS FIGURE HAS BEEN DECIDED UPON BECAUSE IT IS IN LINE WITH THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE WHICH STATES THAT THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT APPLY TO A PERSON EMPLOYED OTHERWISE THAN BY WAY OF MANUAL LABOUR WHOSE WAGES EXCEED $2,000 A MONTH,+ MR. PRICE SAID.

ON THE RAISING OF THE LIMIT OF PRIORITY DEBTS FOR SALARY WAGES AND SEVERANCE PAYMENTS TO $8,000 FOR ANY ONE CREDITOR FROM THE PRESENT LEVEL OF $6,000 MR. PRICE EXPLAINED THAT PREVIOUSLY THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE FIXED THE FIGURE OF $1,500 A MONTH --

AND THE CHANGE TO AN $8,000 $6,000 BEING FOUR TIMES $1,500

LIMIT FOR THESE PAYMENTS REFLECTED THE FACT THAT THE FIGURE IN THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE WAS RAISED IN 1974 FROM $1,500 TO $2,000 A MONTH. IN OTHER WORDS THE NEW CEILING SHOULD BE FOUR TIMES $2,000 WHICH EQUALLED $8,000, THE NEW FIGURE.

NEED TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF SMOKING HAZARDS

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED AGAINST INTRODUCING ANY LEGISLATION TO PROHIBIT ADVERTISING OF CIGARETTES OR TO MAKE IT MANDATORY FOR CIGARETTE PACKETS TO CARRY A HEALTH WARNING NOTICE.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR. THE HON. HENRY HU, THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON. F.K. LI, EXPLAINED THAT THE DECISION WAS REACHED AFTER A CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS ON SEVERAL COUNTRIES WHERE SUCH RESTRICTIONS WERE IMPOSED.

+THOUGH THESE FINDINGS DIFFER IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES,+ MR. LI SAID, THE GENERAL CONCLUSION IS THAT NEITHER MEASURE HAS ANY SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON CIGARETTE CONSUMPTION. *

HE ADDED THAT AT THE THIRD WORLD CONFERENCE ON SMOKING AND HEALTH HELD IN NEW YORK IN JUNE 1975, THE MAJORITY OF MEDICAL EXPERTS ATTENDING CONCLUDED THAT HEALTH WARNINGS ON CIGARETTE PACKETS, RESTRICTIONS ON ADVERTISING, ANTI-SMOK ING CAMPAIGNS AND THE STEADILY INCREASING TOBACCO TAX IN WESTERN COUNTRIES SEEMED TO HAVE DONE LITTLE TO INHIBIT SMOKING.

HOWEVER, THE SECRETARY TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISED THE NEED TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF SMOKING HAZARDS AND HAD DECIDED TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM IN THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.

THE FIRST IS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG, ON THE DANGERS OF SMOKING.

THE SECOND IS TO ADOPT PERSUASIVE MEASURES TO REDUCE SMOKING IN PUBLIC ENCLOSED PLACES AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND THE THIRD IS TO SEEK THE COOPERATION OF THE CIGARETTE INDUSTRY IN DRAWING UP A VOLUNTARY CODE OF ADVERTISING PRACTICE,