XN000022-1979-04-12 — Page 23

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THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 1979

FROM THIS SEPTEMBER

IT WILL COVER CHILDREN AGED 14 AND BELOW

AND EXTENDED TO 15 IN SEPTEMBER, 1980.

UNDER THE EXISTING ORDINANCE, THE DIRECTOR'S DISCRETIONARY POWER OF SERVING ATTENDANCE ORDERS ON PARENTS COVER THE AGE GROUP OF SIX TO 12 ONLY,

→WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF FREE AND COMPULSORY JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION IT IS NOW NECESSARY TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE,+ GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.

+HOWEVER, THE POWER OF THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION TO SERVE ATTENDANCE ORDERS WILL NOT APPLY TO A CHILD WHO HAS COMPLETED FORM/MIDDLE 11 BEFORE REACHING THE AGE OF 15 OR IS A REGISTERED APPRENTICE UNDER THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE OR IS REGULARLY ATTENDING OR IS AN INMATE OF AN INSTITUTION APPROVED BY THE DIRECTOR, A SPOKESMAN ADDED.

FS PRAISES FINANCE BRANCH OFFICER IN VALEDICTORY SPEECH *****

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. PHILIP HADDON-CAVE AT TODAY's LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL EXPRESSED HIS APPRECIATION OF THE WORK OF A RETIRING OFFICER WHO HAS SERVED THE FINANCE BRANCH FOR 32 YEARS.

IN HIS VALEDICTORY SPEECH, MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID MR. TANG HING-IP, NOW OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE COMMON ESTIMATES SECTION, HAS SERVED UNDER EACH OF THE FOUR FINANCIAL SECRETARIES WHO HELD OFFICE AFTER THE WAR SINCE HE JOINED THE GOVERNMENT AND WAS POSTED TO THE FINANCE BRANCH IN 1947.

FROM 1957-58, MR. TANG HAS BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE PREPARATION OF THE ANNUAL ESTIMATES.

+ IT IS A RATHER NICE COINCIDENCE THAT, IN THESE 23 YEARS, TOTAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE HAS ALSO INCREASED BY 23 TIMES, MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID.

+MR. TANG IS KNOWN TO MANY HONOURABLE MEMBERS AND I AM SURE THEY WOULD WISH TO JOIN ME IN WISHING HIM A HAPPY AND VERY WELL EARNED RETIREMENT, MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID.

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