XN000022-1978-07-17 — Page 3

MONDAY, JULY 17, 1978

MR. AKERS-JONES SPOKE OF THE NEED TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD NOT TO TAKE THE PLACE OF EXISTING CRGANISATIONS SUCH AS THE RURAL COMMITTEES BUT TO INVOLVE THE NEW ARRIVALS IN THE NEW TOWNS AND COMMUNITIES OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+AS A MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, ADVISORY BOARDS WERE ESTABLISHED IN EACH DISTRICT.

+1 AM GLAD TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY GIVEN MUCH VALUABLE ADVICE AND MADE MANY SENSIBLE SUGGESTIONS FOR USE OF THE FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THEM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

+ IT IS EARLY YET BUT I CAN SAY THAT THESE FIRST STEPS IN THE LIFE OF THE ADVISORY BOARDS ARE VERY ENCOURAGING AND WE SHOULD WATCH THEIR DEVELOPMENT WITH INTEREST, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID.

TENDERS FOR 300 MORE TAXI LICENCES

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WILL BE OFFERING A FURTHER 300 HONG KONG AND KOWLOON TAXI LICENCES FOR TENDER EARLY NEXT MONTH.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THIS FURTHER ISSUE OF 300 URBAN TAXI LICENCES IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED POLICY.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT FULL DETAILS OF THE TENDER WOULD BE ANNOUNCED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE AND IN THE NEWS MEDIA ON AUGUST 4, 1978.

TENDER FORMS FOR THESE LICENCES WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM AUGUST 4 AT THE DEPARTMENT'S LICENSING OFFICES ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND IN KOWLOON.

THE SPOKESMAN REMINDED THAT THE KOWLOON LICENSING OFFICE WILL BE MOVING THIS WEEKEND FROM PUI CHING ROAD TO THE PARK-IN CENTRE IN DUNDAS STREET, MONG KOK.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE 300 TAXI LICENCES WOULD BE ISSUED TO SUCCESSFUL TENDERERS AT THE PATE OF 100 A MONTH STARTING FROM OCTOBER.

THE LAST TAXI LICENCE TENDER WAS CALLED IN APRIL THIS YEAR WHEN 300 TAXI LICENCES WERE ALLOCATED TO SUCCESSFUL TENDERERS WHO HAI BID BETWEEN $206,510 AND 212,860 FOR EACH LICENCE.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID FURTHER SIMILAR CALLS FOR TAXI TENDERS MAY BE MADE IN ABOUT EVERY FOUR MONTHS.

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