XN000022-1980-01-30 — Page 13

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1980

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GOVERNMENT MONITORS MOVEMENTS IN OIL PRICES

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THE GOVERNMENT WATCHES CLOSELY MOVEMENTS IN OIL PRICES AND IF THERE ARE DOUBTS ABOUT THE WAY HONG KONG CONSUMERS ARE BEING TREATED, IT WOULD REFER THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE OIL COMPANY.

THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON SAID THIS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON FRANCIS TIEN.

HE ALSO SAID, IN THIS WAY, WE TRY TO ENSURE THAT INCREASES ARE REASONABLE IN THE SENSE THAT THERE IS JUSTIFICATION FOR THEM.

BUT HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT FOUND COMPARISON WITH PRICES ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION DIFFICULT.

+THE PROBLEM IS TO COMPARE LIKE WITH LIKE. SOME COUNTRIES IN THE REGION HAVE THEIR OWN SOURCES OF CRUDE OIL. MANY HAVE THE IR OWN REFINERIES. THEN THERE IS DIRECT TAXATION TO DEDUCT. AND AT LEAST ONE BUYS CRUDE, REFINES IT AND WHOLESALES THE PRODUCTS, SO THERE COULD BE HIDDEN TAXATION OR HIDDEN SUBSIDY, MR JEAFFRÉSON SAID.

+NEVERTHELESS, WE DO COMPARE THEM AND WE REFER ANY DOUBTS WE MAY HAVE TO THE OIL COMPANIES, HE ADDED.

NO RELAXATION OF POLICE EFFORTS TO CURB ROBBERIES

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THERE HAD BEEN NO RELAXATION OF POLICE EFFORTS TO CURB ROBBER IES AND POLICE COUNTER ACTION AGAINST ROBBERIES IN BOTH BANKS AND GOLDSMITH SHOPS WAS CONTINUING, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON PETER C. WONG, MR DAVIES SAID +THERE IS CLOSE COOPERATION BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF THESE ESTABLISHMENTS AND THE POLICE FORCE WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING SECURITY AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES IN SUCH PREMISES.+

HE ALSO RECALLED HIS EARLIER STATEMENT SAYING THAT THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE HAD DEPLOYED THE FORCE IN SUCH A WAY AS TO COUNTER THE UPSURGE IN ROBBERIES BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF CRIME PREVENTION PATROLS AND DEPLOYING PLAIN CLOTHES OFFICERS IN SOME BANKS.

ON BANK ROBBERIES MR DAVIES SAID: THERE WERE 84 BANK ROBBERIES INVOLVING PROPERTY VALUED AT $2.9 MILLION IN 1979, COMPARED WITH 11 INVOLVING PROPERTY VALUED AT $85 000 IN 1978. IN 1979, 26 PERSONS WERE ARRESTED IN RELATION TO 22 BANK ROBBER IES.+

/+IN 1980