XN000022-1978-08-31 — Page 7

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1978

MR. LU SAID THE PROPOSAL FOR A REDUCTION OF THE QUALIFYING AGE WAS MADE IN THE GREEN PAPER ON SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY WHICH RECOMMENDED THE REDUCTION IN TWO STAGES - TO 73 IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR AND TO 70 BY APRIL NEXT YEAR - MAINLY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REASONS.

IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC OPINION, HE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO LOWER THE QUALIFYING AGÉ TO 70 IN ONE STEP FROM OCTOBER 1 THIS YEAR RATHER THAN IN TWO STAGES AS RECOMMENDED.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ONE-STEP REDUCTION IS EXPECTED TO COST AN EXTRA $28.5 MILLION IN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR, WHICH WILL BE IN ADDITION TO THE $78.1 MILLION ALREADY PROVIDED FOR PAYMENTS OF THE ALLOWANCE TO EXISTING CLIENTS, HE SAID.

THE ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE ARISING FROM THIS EXTENDED PROVISION WOULD BE $73 MILLION IN THE YEAR 1979-80 AND $98.6 MILLION BY 1983-84, MAKING AN ESTIMATED TOTAL EXPENDITURE FOR THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE OF $158.3 MILLION AND $205.2 MILLION IN THE RESPECTIVE YEARS.

LAND SALES FORECAST

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TWENTY-EIGHT LOTS OF CROWN LAND WITH A TOTAL AREA OF ABOUT 45,336 SQUARE METRES WILL BE PUT UP FOR SALE DURING THE NEXT SIX MONTHS FROM OCTOBER 1, 1978, TO MARCH 31, 1979, BY THE P.W.D.'S CROWN LANDS AND SURVEY OFFICE.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, MR. D.M. SCOTT-WILL, P.W.D.'S ACTING GOVERNMENT LAND AGENT, SAID THE LOTS COMPRISED 17 NON-INDUSTRIAL/ COMMERCIAL SITES, SIX PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL SITES AND FIVE FOR INDUSTRIAL/GODOWŃ PURPOSES.

HE SAID THE NON-INDUSTRIAL SITES COMPRISED A TOTAL AREA OF 22,061 SQUARE METRES.

OF THE 17 NON-INDUSTRIAL/COMMERCIAL SITES, NINE ARE ON HONG KONG ISLAND, WHILE THE OTHER EIGHT LOTS ARE IN KOWLOON.

FOUR OF THE MAJOR