THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1977
HE ADDED THAT RENT CONTROL FOR MOST ORDINARY SIZED DOMESTIC PREMISES ALSO EXCLUDED THE REALITY OF A FREE MARKET.
AS REGARDS A FAIR MARKET, THE REV. MCGOVERN SAID +LANDLORDS IN HONG KONG ARE AS A CLASS, BY AND LARGE, THE MOST RAPACIOUS HIGHWAY ROBBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
+IN VIEW OF THE GREED OF LANDLORDS AS A WHOLE, THERE IS NO SUCH THING IN HONG KONG AS A FAIR RENT. ANY VALUATION THEREFORE BASED ON THIS CONCEPT IS BASED ON UNREALITY,
+EVEN IF THE NEW ASSESSMENT, MODIFIED BY THE REDUCED POUNDAGE AND BY THE 33-1/3 PER CENT LIMIT, HAPPENED, TEMPORARILY, TO COME CUT AS THE RIGHT ANSWER FOR THE WRONG REASONS, IT IS ENTIRELY WRONG TO MY MIND, THAT THE LANDLORD CAN PASS ON THE INCREASE TO THE ALREADY OVERBURDENED TENANTS.
+1 DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE THIS YEAR, BUT BEFORE THE NEXT REASSESSMENT OF RATEABLE VALUES, I URGENTLY REQUEST GO.ERNMENT TO FIND A FAIRER SYSTEM BASED NOT ON IMAGINERY CONCEPTS WHICH DO NOT EXIST, BUT ON ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL REALITY OTHER THAN THE REALITY OF THE GREED OF LANDLORDS,+ HE SAID.
ON THE PROPOSED INCREASE IN CHILD ALLOWANCES, REV. MCGOVERN WELCOMED THE MOVE AS AN INDICATION OF A SOCIALLY DESIRABLE POLICY.+
THOUGH HE POINTED OUT THAT THE AMOUNT WAS NOT REALLY AN INCREASE BUT MERELY CAUGHT UP WITH THE COST OF LIVING, REV. MCGOVERN ADDED THAT ANYTHING WHICH HELPS TO EASE THE BURDEN OF THOSE WITH FAMILIES AND THEREBY HELPS TO PRESERVE AND STRENGTHEN FAMILY LIFE WAS AN INDICATION OF A SOCIALLY DESIRABLE POLICY.+
HE SAID WEAK OR STRONG FAMILY LIFE AFFECTED A MULTITUDE OF OTHER FACTORS IN SOCIETY RANGING FROM EDUCATION TO HONESTY - THE MOST POSITIVE FORM OF ANTI-CORRUPTION.
+ IN A BUDGET CONTEXT A STRONG FAMILY LIFE CAN SAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF FUTURE EXPENDITURE ON POLICE, ICAC AND PRISONS, TO MENTION ONLY A FEW AREAS.
+ IT IS ALSO THE SUREST GUARANTEE OF AN HONEST HARDWORKING WORKFORCE WHICH WILL INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY, WHETHER WE THINK OF THE WORKFORCE AS AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE, OR MANAGEMENT, OR THE FACTORY FLOOR,+ HE SAID.
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