XN000022-1980-12-12 — Page 3

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1980

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THE SCHEME WOULD BE FUNDED BY ANNUAL PREMIUMS PAID BY SOLICITORS, WHO WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW SOCIETY'S INDEMNITY RULES BEFORE BEING ISSUED WITH A PRACTISING CERTIFICATE. SIMILAR SCHEMES EXIST IN ENGLAND AND WALES AND IN AUSTRALIA.

THE LEGAL PRACTITIONERS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1981, WHICH IS ALSO PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY, SEEKS TO EXTEND ADMISSION TO THE BAR IN HONG KONG TO HOLDERS OF A HONG KONG UNIVERSITY POST-GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN LAWS WHO ARE CITIZENS OF THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND AND WHO HAVE FEEN ORDINARILY RESIDENT HERE FOR AT LEAST SEVEN YEARS.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF A CUSTOMS SERVICE IN HONG KONG

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THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS AND CONTROLS, MR DOUGLAS JORDAN SAID TODAY THAT A PRIME RESPONSIBILITY OF A CUSTOMS SERVICE IN A FREE PORT LIKE HONG KONG IS FACILITATION OF TRADE.

ADDRESSING THE LIONS CLUB OF HONG KONG ISLAND LUNCHEON MEETING, MR JORDAN SAID THAT THE WORK OF THE CUSTOMS AND CONTROLS DEPARTMENT, WHICH FORMS PART OF THE FEDERAL TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT, IS TO ASSIST TRADE, PARTICULARLY WHERE IT IS OF AN INTERNATIONAL NATURE, AS WELL AS TO PROTECT SOCIETY.

+BOTH RESPONSIBILITIES ARE CONCOMITANTS OF A CUSTOMS SERVICE

OF THE 1980'S, HE SAID.

MR JORDAN POINTED OUT THAT THE DEPARTMENT KEEPS ITS METHODS AND THE FACILITIES OFFERED UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW. AS AN EXAMPLE, WE WILL SHORTLY BE INTRODUCING PROCEDURES DESIGNED TO FACILITATE THE ACTIVITIES OF BUSINESSMEN WHO MANUFACTURE THEIR GOODS PARTLY IN CHINA.

+WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING WILL PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN AND THE REPUTATION OF THE GENUINE 'MADE IN HONG KONG LABEL WHERE INDUSTRY WISHES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PART OF THEIR PROCESS TO BE CARRIED OUT ACROSS THE BORDER, HE SAID.

MR JORDAN OUTLINED TO THE MEETING THE DUTIES OF THE CUSTOMS AND CONTROLS DEPARTMENT IN REVENUE COLLECTION, TRADE DOCUMENTATION, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CONSUMER PROTECTION.

ON THE SUBJECT OF HONG KONG BEING A FREE PORT, MR JORDAN SAIDI+THERE ARE ONLY FOUR REVENUE YIELDING DUTIES AND ALTHOUGH, OF NECESSITY, LANDING OR MANUFACTURE AND SUBSEQUENT MOVEMENT OF THESE GOODS IS CONTROLLED, THE VAST MAJORITY OF GOODS DEALT WITH IN HONG KONG MOVE UNINHIBITED BY REVENUE RESTRICTION. +

DUTIES COLLECTED FROM THE FOUR DUTIABLE COMMODITIES, NAMELY LIQUOR, PETROL, AUTO DIESEL AND TOBACCO GOODS, CONTRIBUTED SIX TO SEVEN PER CENT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S OVERALL REVENUE AND RECEIPTS, MR JORDAN SAID.

/IN THE