XN000022-1981-01-21 — Page 13

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WOEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1961

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SINCE APRIL 1980, THE DEPARTMENT HAS RESPONDED TO SIX REQUESTS FROM SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN THE PLANTING OF 665 TREES IN THE IR GROUNDS.

THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS ALSO WILLING TO UNDERTAKE A SURVEY OF GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS TO FIND OUT THE SCOPE FOR TREE PLANTING IF THIS IS REQUIRED, MR JONES ADDED,

IN OTHER PLACES, THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT IS UNDERTAKING A WIDESPREAD PROGRAMME OF TREE PLANTING IN SUITABLE AREAS WITHIN COUNTRY PARKS, THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS ALSO CARRYING OUT EXTENSIVE TREE PLANTING WITHIN THE NEW TOWNS AND ON THE IR FRINGES.

IN 1980 20 000 TREES WERE PLANTED IN TUEN MUN ALONE AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT IN 1981 AS MANY AS 300 000 TREES WILL BE PLANTED AS PART OF THE LANDSCAPING PROGRAMMES FOR THE NEW TOWNS.

WITHIN THE URBAN AREA, THE USD PLANS FROM 1981 ONWARDS TO ADOPT MAY OF EACH YEAR AS TREE PLANTING MONTH+.

THIS YEAR IT HOPES TO PLANT AT LEAST 16 000 TREES AND IN FUTURE YEARS IT PLANS TO ENCOURAGE SCHOOLS, PROPERTY COMPANIES, WELFARE AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS TO JOIN WITH IT IN SUPPORTING THE PROGRAMME.

OTHER ACTIVITIES AIMED AT ENCOURAGING TREE PLANTING INCLUDE THE SCHOOL FORESTRY WORK CAMPS AND RESIDENTIAL TRAINING CAMP FOR STUDENT LEADERS OF SCHOOL CONSERVANCY CLUBS.

FAIRER TO HAVE NO LABOUR LAW WAGE CEILING

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THE WAGE CEILING FOR NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES COVERED BY THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE SHOULD BE REMOVED WHEN THE TIME IS RIPE, THE HON CHAN KAM-CHUEN SAID IN COMMENT ON THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL 1981 WHICH WAS PASSED TODAY.

HE SAID THE REMOVAL WAS NOT MEANT SO MUCH FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENIENCE, BUT FOR EQUITY IN THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW TO ALL EMPLOYEES.

SPEAKING AT THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL WHICH SOUGHT TO RAISE THE PRESENT WAGE CEILING FOR NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES FROM $3 500 TO $6 000, MR CHAN NOTED THAT IN ECONOMICS, A PERSON WHO SELLS HIS TIME TO RENDER ANY VALUABLE SERVICE IN THE PRODUCTION OF WEALTH BUT WITHOUT ASSUMING ANY RISK IN THE PROVISION OF CAPITAL, IS CONSIDERED AN EMPLOYEE.+

+WITH THE INCREASED AFFLUENCE OF OUR SOCIETY BUILT ON DIVERSED BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, THE PAY DISPARITY BETWEEN BLUE AND WHITE COLLAR CLASSES IS FAST DISAPPEARING AS THEY BOTH CONTRIBUTE EQUALLY TO OUR PRESENT PROSPERITY.

/+WITH IMPROVED