XN000022-1981-01-21 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1981

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*WITH IMPROVED EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY, THE RATIO OF USING ONE'S BRAIN OR HANDS IN ONE'S WORK IS RAPIDLY CHANGING AND THE DEMARCATION BETWEEN MANUAL AND NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES IS BECOMING BLURRED, HE SAID.

NEVERTHELESS, HE POINTED OUT THAT THE AMENDMENT BILL WAS A TIMELY ONE IN VIEW OF THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF HONG KONG AND THE PROPOSED CEILING AT $6 000 PER MONTH APPROPRIATELY REFLECTED THE PAY RANGE FOR THE SUB-MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY LEVEL.

HE SAID AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF THIS CEILING WAS NECESSARY, +ESPECIALLY IN THESE DAYS OF DOUBLE-DIGIT INFLATION+.

MEANWHILE, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT THAT WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT, THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL, NOW PASSED, RAISES THE WAGE CEILING FOR NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES IN THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE FROM $3 500 TO $6 000 A MONTH.

HE REITERATED THAT THE WAGE CEILING WAS REVISED TO KEEP IT IN LINE WITH RISES IN WAGES AND WITH INCREASES IN THE COST OF LIVING.

TIME TO REGISTER FURTHER TAXIS

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THE DEADLINE FOR REGISTERING UP TO 10 000 URBAN TAXIS HAS BEEN EXTENDED BY SIX MONTHS TO JULY 31, 1981.

SEEKING THE APPROVAL OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR THIS EXTENSION, THE SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT, THE HON DEREK JONES EXPLAINED THAT THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL HAD ORDERED IN JANUARY LAST YEAR THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VEHICLES THAT COULD BE REGISTERED AND LICENSED AS URBAN TAXIS SHOULD BE SET AT 10 000, TO BE REACHED BY ISSUING BY TENDER 300 LICENCES EVERY THREE MONTHS.

AT PRESENT, 9 369 URBAN TAXI LICENCES HAVE BEEN ISSUED. THIS NUMBER WILL BE INCREASED BY 300 IN THE CURRENT TENDERING EXERCISE.

THE EXTENSION OF THE TIME LIMIT BY ANOTHER SIX MONTHS WILL ALLOW ANOTHER TENDERING EXERCISE TO TAKE PLACE IN MARCH AND APRIL THIS YEAR, MR JONES SAID,

THE SECRETARY ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONTINUING TO KEEP THE OPERATIONS OF THE TAXI TRADE UNDER CAREFUL REVIEW INCLUDING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FUTURE ISSUE OF LICENCES AFTER THE PRESENT LIMIT HAD BEEN REACHED.

THE CONSIDERATIONS INVOLVED ARE NOW BEING EXAMINED AND IT IS HOPED THAT PROPOSALS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE, HE SAID.

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