XN000022-1977-04-20 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1977

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ON THE HON. JAMES WU'S PROPOSAL THAT THE 33-1/3 PER CENT MAXIMUM INCREASE IN RATES PAYABLE IN 1977-78 OVER 1976-77 SHOULD BE LOWERED TO 25 PER CENT AS THE GOVERNMENT PERMITS ONLY 10 PER CENT PER ANNUM CUMULATIVE INCREASES IN CONTROLLED RENTS OF POST-WAR DOMESTIC PREMISES, MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID THAT EVEN WITHOUT APPLYING THE RELIEF SCHEME WITH THE REDUCED RATE PERCENTAGES RECENTLY APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE AVERAGE INCREASE IN RATES PAYABLE WAS ONLY 15 PER CENT AND FOR MANY RATEPAYERS THEIR RATES BILL IN 1977-78 WOULD IN FACT BE LESS THAN IN 1976-77.

+THOSE WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE SCHEME OF RELIEF ARE RATE- PAYERS WHO OCCUPY PREMISES WHERE IN THE INCREASES IN RATEABLE VALUES FOR 1977-78 ARE CONSIDERABLY ABOVE THE AVERAGE, AND IT SHOULD BE BORNE IN MIND THAT IT IS THESE RATEPAYERS WHO HAVE BENEFITED MOST FROM THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE REVALUATION.

+ THE SCHEME PROPOSED, IN MY VIEW, ADEQUATELY CUSHIONS THE IMPACT OF LARGE INCREASES AND ALLOWS RATEPAYERS SUFFICIENT TIME TO ADJUST TO INCREASED RATE PAYMENTS, SAID THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY.

ADVISORY NETWORK A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOVT. AND PUBLIC

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THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. PHILIP HADDON-CAVE SAID UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, IN

A SERIES OF TELLING SPEECHES, HAD RAISED A LARGE NUMBER OF VALID AND SUBSTANTIVE QUESTIONS WHICH THEY BELIEVED RIGHTLY TO BE OF CONCERN TO THE PUBLIC.

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IN HIS SPEECH WINDING-UP THE BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID, +WE MAY NOT HAVE A PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG BUT WE HAVE EVOLVED A SYSTEM IN WHICH UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCILS, AND ALL THOSE WHO SIT ON OUR NETWORK OF ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.

+ IN OPERATING THIS SYSTEM OF OURS, BASED AS IT IS ON A CONTINUING PROCESS OF CONSULTATION AND DEBATE, I BELIEVE A QUITE UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN BUREAUCRACY AND

THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE HAS BEEN EVOLVED.

+ IT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE OPERATED PERFECTLY, BUT IT DOES HAVE A STYLE OF ITS OWN AND I BELIEVE IT ENGENDERS A GENERAL CONF ICENCE THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS SEIZED WITH A REAL SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY: THAT IS TO SAY, THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED TO PURSUE, AND IN A CONSISTENT MANNER, POLICIES WHICH ARE RELEVANT TO OUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND SYMPATHETIC WITH THE PREDILECTIONS OF THE VARIOUS

SECTIONS OF THIS COMMUNITY, HE SAID.