XN000022-1977-05-04 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1977.

H.K.'S POSTAGE RATES FOR PRINTED MATTER VERY LOW

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HONG KONG'S INTERNAL POSTAGE RATES AND OVERSEAS SURFACE RATES FOR PRINTED PAPERS IN ABSOLUTE TERMS ARE VERY LOW, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON. DAVID JEAFFRESON SAID TODAY.

IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS FROM THE HON. T.S. LO IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID: +TAKEN ON THE IR OWN THESE PRINTED PAPER SERVICES OPERATE AT A LOSS.+

MR. JEAFFRESON SAID IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE A VALID COMPARISON BETWEEN HONG KONG AND OTHER COUNTRIES, +BUT, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THE MAJORITY OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION (UPU) DO NOT HAVE PRINTED PAPER RATES WHICH ARE RELATIVELY LESS THAN HONG KONG”Sa+

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE UPU DID NOT REGULATE INTERNAL POSTAGE RATES. ALTHOUGH HONG KONG AND SOME OTHER COUNTRIES HAD A SINGLE PRINTED PAPER RATE, OTHERS HAD COMPLICATED RATE STRUCTURES WHICH PROVIDE FOR DIFFERENT CLASSES OF PRINTED PAPERS AND SOME, SUCH AS THE UNITED KINGDOM, HAD NO SEPARATE RATE FOR PRINTED PAPERS.

AS TO THE INTERNATIONAL SERVICE, MR. JEAFFRESON SAID, HONG KONG'S POSTAGE RATES FOR PRINTED MATTER WERE CALCULATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PERCENTAGES OF THE FULL LETTER RATE LAID DOWN BY THE UPU.

HE SAID THAT FROM AN EXAMINATION OF THE RATE STRUCTURE OF 153 COUNTRIES, HONG KONG'S POSTAGE CONCESSION IN PERCENTAGE TERMS FOR PRINTED PÁPERS WAS IN LINE WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE UPU'S MEMBER COUNTRIES.

BILLS PASSED

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THE APPROPRIATION BILL 1977 PASSED ITS COMMITTEE STAGE AND THIRD READING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON.

ALSO PASSED WERE THE PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1977, THE HONG KONG EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY BILL 1977, THE HONG KONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY (SERVICES) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1977, THE STAR+ FERRY COMPANY (SERVICES) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1977, THE FERRIES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1977 AND AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER'S BILL, THE SCOUT ASSOCIATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1977.

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