XN000022-1980-05-02 — Page 5

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HELPING OUT WITH LABOUR COMPLAINTS

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THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT DEALT WITH 115 COMPLAINTS THROUGH ITS REGIONAL OFFICES IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THE COMPLAINTS, MANY OF WHICH WERE OF A MINOR NATURE, WERE MADE IN PERSON, BY TELEPHONE OR IN WRITING. MANY HAD ALREADY BEEN INVESTIGATED AND ACTED UPON, WHILE OTHERS WERE BEING LOOKED INTO.

HE SAID THAT IN DEALING WITH THE COMPLAINTS, FACTORY INSPECTORS HAD BEEN ABLE TO KEEP IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY WORKERS, AT THEIR REGIONAL OFFICES ON HONG KONG ISLAND IN YAU MA TI, MONG KOK, HUNG HOM, KOWLOON CITY, SHAM SHUI PO, KWUŃ TONG, TSUEN WAN AND TAI PO.

APART FROM THEIR NORMAL DUTIES, THE INSPECTORS ALSO HANDLED PUBLIC ENQUIRIES AND INVESTIGATED COMPLAINTS.

+MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING WORKERS, HAVE BEEN

APPROACHING THE REGIONAL OFFICES WITH THEIR PROBLEMS OR COMPLAINTS.

+THE REGIONAL OFFICES THUS PROVIDE AN IDEAL COMMUNICATION CHANNEL WITH THE PUBLIC AND ENABLE FACTORY INSPECTORS TO KEEP ABREAST OF WORKERS' ASPIRATIONS, HE NOTED.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COULD ALSO USE THE 24-HOUR TELEPHONE SERVICE AT THE FACTORY INSPECTORATE HEADQUARTERS IN THE CANTON ROAD GOVERNMENT OFFICES.

THE PUBLIC HAD BEEN USING THE SERVICE MAINLY TO REPORT INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS - ONLY THREE COMPLAINTS MADE BY ANNONYMOUS CALLERS WERE RECEIVED DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR.

SALARIES TAX RETURNS FALL DUE

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THE INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT HAS ISSUED 425 409 SALARIES TAX RETURNS TO TAXPAYERS YESTERDAY (MAY 1) AND THEY ARE REMINDED THAT THE RETURNS MUST BE SENT BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT WITHIN ONE MONTH.

+THE_DEADLINE IN THIS CASE IS MAY 31,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

+THE LAW PROVIDES PENALTY FOR LATE SUBMISSION OF RETURNS AND TAXPAYERS ARE ADVISED NOT TO RUN THAT RISK, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

HE SAID MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE LIABLE TO PAY SALARIES TAX BUT DO NOT RECEIVE THE SALARIES TAX RETURN SHOULD CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT AT TEL 5-79591111.

+THOSE WHO ARE IN DOUBT AS TO WHETHER THEY ARE LIABLE ARE WELCOME TO MAKE ENQUIRIES AT THE SAME TELEPHONE NUMBER, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.