XN000022-1978-07-20 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1978

+ IMPROPERLY COOKED FOOD CAN CAUSE INFECTION. THEREFORE, ALL TYPES OF FOOD MUST BE THOROUGHLY COOKED AND IF IT IS NOT TAKEN IMMEDIATELY. IT SHOULD NOT BE LEFT IN THE OPEN AND EXPOSED TO CONTAMINATION, HE SAID.

+PEOPLE GET CHOLERA BY TAKING IN THE VIBRO CARRIED FROM THE WASTE OF INFECTIOUS PERSONS TO EXPOSED FOOD AND WATER, AND FLIES AID IN THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE, HE ADDED.

NEW PAYMENT SYSTEM FOR NON-INDUSTRIAL SITES

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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (THURSDAY) ANNOUNCED CHANGES IN THE TERMS FOR PAYMENT OF PREMIUM FOR NON-INDUSTRIAL SITES SOLD FOR OVER $10 MILLION AT CROWN LAND AUCTIONS.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID SUCCESSFUL BIDDERS FOR SUCH SITES WILL BE REQUIRED IN FUTURE TO PAY $5 MILLION AT THE FALL OF THE HAMMER AND EITHER THE FULL PREMIUM, OR THE BALANCE, IF ANY. OF 20 PER CENT OF THE BID PRICE TOGETHER WITH THE FIRST INSTALMENT OF THE BALANCE OF PREMIUM, WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF THE DATE OF SALE.

HE SAID, UNDER PRESENT TERMS OF SALE, THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDERS ARE REQUIRED TO PAY A DOWN PAYMENT OF $1 MILLION ONLY AND THE BALANCE OF 10 PER CENT OF THE BID PRICE AND THE FIRST INSTALMENT WITHIN FIVE DAYS. UNDER THE NEW ARRANGEMENT, OTHER BASIC TERMS INCLUDING PAYMENT OF THE BALANCE OF PREMIUM BY 10 INSTALMENTS AT 10 PER CENT INTEREST WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE PRESENT SYSTEM HAD BEEN INTRODUCED AT A TIME WHEN GOVERNMENT WISHED TO STIMULATE SALES OF VALUABLE COMMERCIAL SITES. THIS SITUATION HAS NOW PASSED AND THE SYSTEM IS NO LONGER NECESSARY, HE SAID. INDEED, IT IS THOUGHT THAT IT COULD LEAD TO EXCESSIVE SPECULATION.+

HE SAID THAT FOR THE PRESENT THE CHANGES WOULD ONLY APPLY TO NON-INDUSTRIAL LAND SOLD BY AUCTION, BUT THAT THE OVERALL INSTALMENT SYSTEM WOULD BE REVIEWED IN THE LIGHT OF SALES OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. SOME SALES ALREADY IN THE PIPELINE WOULD BE CONTINUED WITH THE PRESENT SYSTEM, BUT CERTAIN SITES IN WAN CHAI AND TSIM SHA TSUI, ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR SALE ON AUGUST 4 AND AUGUST 22, WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL SEPTEMBER BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO AMEND THE CONDITIONS TO REFLECT THE NEW TERMS.

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