XN000022-1979-12-12 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1979

SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS APPROVED

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THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS AMOUNTING TO $86 MILLION FOR THE FINAL QUARTER OF 1978-79.

THE ALLOCATION HAD ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

OF THE $86 MILLION, $24 MILLION WAS REQUIRED TO MEET ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE ON WELFARE ALLOWANCES ARISING FROM THE LOWERING OF THE QUALIFYING AGE FOR THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE.

ABOUT $14 MILLION WAS REQUIRED TO AUGMENT PERSONAL EMOLUMENTS SUBHEADS ON ACCOUNT OF THE 1978 SALARIES REVISION,

THE LARGEST AMOUNT, $31 MILLION, WAS REQUIRED TO COVER THE NET EXPENDITURE OF THE UNALLOCATED STORES ACCOUNT OF THE GOVERNMENT SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT.

SPEAKING IN THE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON, THE ACTING FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON, DAVID JEAFFRESON SAID THE SUM BROUGHT THE TOTAL SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS REQUIRED FOR 1978-79 TO

$2 102 MILLION.

+BUT BECAUSE OF SAVINGS IN OTHER SUBHEADS, ACTUAL TOTAL EXPENDITURE AT $11 090 MILLION FOR THE FULL FINANCIAL YEAR IN THE EVENT WAS $824 MILLION MORE THAN THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATES,+ HE SAID.

MORE ACTION TAKEN AGAINST OVERLOADING OF GOODS VEHICLES

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY STEPPED UP ITS EFFORTS TO ENFORCE THE LAW AGAINST THE OVERLOADING OF GOODS VEHICLES, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. S.L. CHEN, MR. JONES SAID IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR POLICE BROUGHT ALMOST 3 000 PROSECUTIONS AGAINST DRIVERS FOR OVERLOADING GOODS VEHICLES AND THE NUMBER OF PROSECUTIONS FOR THE WHOLE YEAR IS EXPECTED TO BE AT LEAST 3.800.

+THIS IS OVER 90 PER CENT MORE THAN THE 1 980 PROSECUTIONS FOR OVERLOADING BROUGHT IN 1975, SOME FOUR YEARS AGO, AND THERE HAS, IN FACT, BEEN A STEADY INCREASE IN THE INTERVENING YEARS, HE SAID.

+OVER THE SAME PERIOD THE NUMBER OF GOODS VEHICLES ON THE ROAD HAS INCREASED BY ABOUT 60 PER CENT, SO THE PERCENTAGE GROWTH IN PROSECUTIONS FOR THIS OFFENCE HAS EXCEEDED THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF GOODS VEHICLES, HE ADDED.

7IN REPLY