XN000022-1980-01-16 — Page 16

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1980 -

14

HOWEVER, MR JONES ADMITTED THAT THERE WERE DIFFICULTIES IN HANDLING ABANDONED CARS SINCE FEBRUARY 1979. BECAUSE THE COMPANY WHICH HELD THE GOVERNMENT CAR CRUSHING CONTRACT HAD TO GIVE UP ITS SITE FOR MTR CONSTRUCTION WORK, BUT HE ADDED THAT A NEW SITE HAD BEEN FOUND IN KWAI CHUNG AND CRUSHING OPERATIONS WOULD RESUME BY THE END OF THIS MONTH.

+ IN THE LONGER TERM, CONSIDERATION IS BEING GIVEN A SYSTEM OF REFUNDABLE DEPOSITS BY VEHICLE OWNERS. SUCH A SYSTEM WOULD ENCOURAGE OWNERS OF OLD CARS TO ARRANGE FOR THEM TO BE SCRAPPED ON THE IR OWN INITIATIVE BECAUSE THEY WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO RECLAIM THEIR DEPOSITS FROM THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.

MARINE FISH CULTURE BILL 1980 PASSED WITH AMENDMENTS

*****

THE MARINE FISH CULTURE BILL 1980 WHICH AIMS TO REGULATE AND PROTECT THE CULTURE OF MARINE FISH IN HONG KONG WATERS WAS PASSED INTO LAW WITH AMENDMENTS BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE AMENDMENTS WERE I

* FISH CULTURE ZONES WOULD BE DEMARCATED IN THE PRESCRIBED

MANNER-

* AN AUTHORISED OFFICER WHEN EXERCISING POWER OR PERFORMING A DUTY OR FUNCTION UNDER THE BILL WOULD PRODUCE WRITTEN AUTHOR ISATION TO ANY PERSON WHO QUESTIONS HIS AUTHORITY=

* EVERY PERSON ARRESTED UNDER THE BILL WOULD BE GIVEN INTO THE CUSTODY OF A POLICE OFFICER WITHIN 24 HOURS OF HIS ARREST- AND

* FISH CULTURE WOULD BE OUTSIDE SPECIFIED PROHIBITED ZONES,

FROM A DAY TO BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE OF THE BILL, THE HON PETER C. WONG, ALTERNATE CONVENOR OF THE LEGISLATION SCRUTINY GROUP OF UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS WHO HAD DISCUSSED THE BILL WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAID THESE AMENDMENTS WERE PRIMARILY MADE TO SAFEGUARD THE INDIVIDUAL.

MR WONG ALSO SAID THE BILL SHOULD DESERVE MORE PUBLICITY THAN IT HAD SO FAR ATTRACTED.

+THIS IS NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT IS A FINE PIECE OF WELL-CONCEIVED LEGISLATION TAILORED FOR THE NEEDS OF HONG KONG, BUT, MORE SIGNIFICANTLY, BECAUSE IT PROVIDES FOR THE KIND OF PIONEERING PROJECT THAT HONG KONG NEEDS IN ITS EFFORTS TO DIVERSIFY INDUSTRY,+ HE SAID.

/ANOTHER COUNCILLOR,