XN000022-1978-04-14 — Page 2

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 1978

TEMPORARY DRIVING LICENCES FOR PEOPLE

TAKING UP RESIDENCE IN HK

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NEW REGULATIONS WILL BE INTRODUCED SHORTLY TO ENABLE THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT TO ISSUE TEMPORARY DRIVING LICENCES TO PERSONS WHO TAKE UP RESIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND HOLD DRIVING LICENCES FROM OVERSEAS COUNTRIES NOT ON THE APPROVED LIST FOR DIRECT ISSUE OF A FULL HONG KONG DRIVING LICENCE.

THE AMENDING LEGISLATION, KNOWN AS THE ROAD TRAFFIC (DRIVING LICENCES) (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) REGULATIONS 1978, IS PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE PUBLIC.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SAID THAT AT PRESENT ANY PERSON ARRIVING IN HONG KONG TO TAKE UP RESIDENCE CANNOT OBTAIN A HONG KONG DRIVING LICENCE WITHOUT GOING THROUGH A TEST, UNLESS THAT PERSON ALREADY HOLDS A VALID DRIVING LICENCE FROM A COUNTRY ON THE APPROVED LIST.

THE PRESENT WAITING TIME FOR A DRIVING TEST IS ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS, AND TO ENABLE THESE PEOPLE TO DRIVE WHILE THEY ARE WAITING FOR THE IR TESTS THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS WILL EMPOWER THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT TO ISSUE THEM WITH TEMPORARY DRIVING LICENCES VALID INITIALLY FOR TWELVE MONTHS.

HOWEVER, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, IF DURING THIS PERIOD THEY SIT AND FAIL THEIR DRIVING TEST, THEY WILL HAVE TO RETURN THE TEMPORARY DRIVING LICENCE TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT FOR CANCELLATION.

VISITORS WHO HAVE RESIDED IN HONG KONG FOR MORE THAN TWELVE MONTHS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE ISSUE OF TEMPORARY DRIVING LICENCES.

SALARIES TAXPAYERS REMINDED OF

SECOND INSTALMENT PAYMENT

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THE INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT TODAY REMINDED SALARIES TAX- PAYERS TO CHECK THE DUE DATE OF THEIR SECOND TAX INSTALMENT AND ENSURE THAT PAYMENT IS MADE BEFORE THAT DATE AS THESE PAYMENTS WILL BE DUE COMMENCING NEXT MONDAY (APRIL 17).

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT ALSO REMINDED TAXPAYERS THAT THEY CAN AVOID INCONVENIENCE BY PAYING THE IR TAX BY POST BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT'S COLLECTION OFFICES, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN KOWLOON, WILL BE VERY CROWDED DURING THIS PERIOD.

HE POINTED OUT THAT OVER 40,000 TAXPAYERS PAID THEIR FIRST INSTALMENTS BY THIS METHOD THIS YEAR.

NO SURCHARGE WILL BE INCURRED WHERE THE ENVELOPE CONTAINING THE PAYMENT IS POSTMARKED NOT LATER THAN THE DUE DATE. RECEIPTS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PAYMENT ILL LE RETURNED BY POST IN A FEW DAYS.

PAYMENT BY POST CAN BE MADE BY MAILING A CROSSED CHEQUE FOR THE AMOUNT DUE. PAYABLE TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, TOGETHER WITH THE DEMAND NOTE TO THE COMMISSIONER OF INLAND REVENUE, P.O. BOX 132, HONG KONG.