XN000022-1980-03-26 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 1980

HIGHER PRICES FOR CIGARETTES AND TOBACCO INCREASED THE INDEX FOR ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO BY 13 POINTS IN CPI (A) AND BY 11 POINTS IN CPI (B).

THE ONE POINT INCREASE IN THE INDEX FOR CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR IN BOTH CPI (A) AND CPI (B) WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO HIGHER PRICES FOR RUBBER FOOTWEAR AND MEN'S UNDER-CLOTHING.

THE INDEX FOR DURABLE GOODS INCREASED BY ONE POINT IN CPI (B) AS A RESULT OF HIGHER PRICES FOR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AND OPTICAL GOODS.

FOLLOWING HIGHER PRICES FOR FRESH FLOWERS, FOR FILMS AND PHOTO PROCESSING, THE INDEX FOR MISCELLANEOUS GOODS INCREASED BY ONE POINT IN CPI (A) AND BY TWO POINTS IN CPI (B).

THE INDEX FOR TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES INCREASED BY 24 POINTS IN CPI (A) AND BY 18 POINTS IN CPI (B) BECAUSE OF HIGHER FARES FOR BUSES AND FOR PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES DURING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR.

THE INDEX FOR SERVICES INCREASED BY SEVEN POINTS IN CPI (A) AND BY SIX POINTS IN CPI (B) AS A RESULT OF HIGHER CHARGES FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT AND CINEMA ENTERTAINMENT, AND TRADITIONAL INCREASE IN CHARGES FOR HAIRDRESSING BEFORE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR.

PRICE MOVEMENTS IN OTHER COMMODITY SECTIONS WERE INSIGNIFICANT,

COMMENTING ON THESE FIGURES, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE SIZE OF THE INCREASE WAS PARTLY BECAUSE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR OCCURRED IN THE MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY AND SO AFFECTED THE PRICES RECORDED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

UNIFIED CONTROL OF LAND MATTERS SUGGESTED

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THE GOVERNMENT WAS TODAY (WEDNESDAY) ASKED TO CONSIDER BRINGING UNDER ONE ROOF ALL MAJOR ISSUES RELATING TO LAND, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATION, POLICY, PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION AND ALLOCATION.

+THIS IS ALL THE MORE NECESSARY, IF LAND SALES ARE TO REMAIN A KEY FACTOR IN OUR BUDGETARY POLICY,+ SAID THE HON LI FOOK-WO AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

MR LI SAID THAT UNDER THE EXISTING SYSTEM THERE WAS AN EXCESSIVELY LONG LEAD TIME BEFORE UNFORMED LAND COULD BE PREPARED FOR THE MARKET. +THIS IS DUE TO FRAGMENTATION OF AUTHORITY, RESULTING IN NUMEROUS DISCUSSIONS AND LENGTHY EXCHANGES OF CORRESPONDENCE AMONG THE DEPARTMENTS WHENEVER AN ISSUE IS RAISED, HE SAID.

/MR LI