XN000022-1978-03-28 — Page 8

TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1978

BUDGET DEBATE RESUMES TOMORROW

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THE BUDGET DEBATE WILL RESUME IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) WHEN NINE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS SPEAK ON THE BUDGET PROPOSALS. IT WILL CONTINUE ON THURSDAY WITH TEN MORE UNOFFICIALS SPEAKING.

TOMORROW'S SPEAKERS ARE THE HON. SIR SZE-YUEN CHUNG, THE HON. Q.W. LEE, THE HON. JOHN BREMRIDGE, THE HON. ROGER LOBO, THE HON. JAMES WU, THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, THE HON. F.W. LI, DR. THE HON. HARRY FANG AND THE HON. MRS. KWAN KO SIU-WAH.

THE SPEAKERS ON THURSDAY ARE THE HON. T.S. LO, THE HON. FRANCIS TIEN, THE REV. THE HON. JOYCE M. BENNETT, THE HON. S.L. CHEN, THE HON, LYDIA DUNN, DR. THE HON. HENRY HU, THE REV. THE HON. PATRICK MCGOVERN, THE HON. WONG LAM, DR. THE HON. RAYSON HUANG AND THE HON. CHARLES YEUNG.

RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG WILL GIVE LIVE BROADCAST TO THE TWO-DAY DEBATE ON RHK2 (CHINESE) AND RHK4 (ENGLISH) STARTING FROM 2.30 P.M. ON BOTH DAYS.

LAUNDRY LICENCES WASHED OUT *****

LAUNDRY LICENCES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL BE ABOLISHED FROM NEXT MONTH. THIS FOLLOWS THE ABOLITION OF LICENCES IN THE URBAN AREAS LAST AUGUST.

AS LAUNDRIES ARE INSPECTED QUAPTERLY BY A DISTRICT HEALTH INSPECTOR, THE MOVE WILL RELEASE OTHER CLERICAL STAFF AND HEALTH INSPECTORS WHO HAVE TO CARRY OUT INSPECTIONS AND PROCESS LICENCES.

THERE ARE 46 LAUNDRY AND 17 DEPOT LAUNDRY LICENCES IN FORCE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, AND THE $10,000 INCOME FROM LICENCES MERELY COVERS THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.

LICENSING WAS ORIGINALLY INTRODUCED TO STOP THE SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES THROUGH LAUNDERED ARTICLES, BUT THE USE OF SOPHISTICATED AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES, STEAM PRESSERS AND EFFECTIVE DETERGENTS, ALONG WITH HIGH LABOUR COSTS, HAVE REDUCED HAND WASHING IN LAUNDRIES TO A MINIMUM.

THE POSSIBILITY OF CONTAMINATION EY UNHEALTHY WORKERS CAN NOW BE DISCOUNTED, ESPECIALLY AS LAUNDERED ARTICLES DO NOT SUPPORT BACTERICAL GROWTH, AND ARE NOT LIKELY TO TRANSMIT INFECTION.

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