XN000022-1982-12-10 — Page 5

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1982

LIMIT FOR ELECTION EXPENSES RAISED

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CANDIDATES AT THE FORTHCOMING URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS WILL BE ALLOWED TO SPEND UP TO $20 000 IN ELECTION EXPENSES.

THIS IS SET OUT UNDER AN URBAN COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARDS ELECTION EXPENSES ORDER 1982 IN THE GAZETTE TODAY (FRIDAY),

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE PREVIOUS EXPENDITURE LIMIT OF $10 000 WAS LAID DOWN IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR.

+SOME CANDIDATES AT THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS IN MARCH AND SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR FELT THAT THIS SUM WAS BARELY ADEQUATE FOR CAMPAIGNING PURPOSES. THIS COULD BE MORE SO AT THE URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN MARCH 1983 BECAUSE OF THE MUCH LARGER CONSTITUENCIES, HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH THE CEILING OF ELECTION EXPENSES BY AN URBAN COUNCIL CANDIDATE HAS BEEN RAISED, THE MAXIMUM FEE WHICH THE CANDIDATE CAN PAY HIS ELECTION AGENT WILL REMAIN AT $3.000.

AWARD FOR MAN WITH ECONOMY IN MIND

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A GOVERNMENT ENGINEER TODAY RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE OF AWARD FROM THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR MARTIN ROWLANDS, FOR SUGGESTING A WAY TO ECONOMISE ON ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION.

MR ROBIN LUMB OF THE ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAD SUGGESTED THE USE OF A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FLUORESCENT TUBE TO ILLUMINATE GOVERNMENT OFFICES, WHICH USES LESS ELECTRICITY BUT PRODUCES THE SAME AMOUNT OF LIGHT.

THE SUGGESTION WAS ACCEPTED BY A STAFF SUGGESTIONS COMMITTEE, WHICH COMPRISES REPRESENTATIVES OF THE THREE MAIN CIVIL SERVICE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS AND THE MAJOR DEPARTMENTS, AFTER IT WAS FOUND TO BE WORKABLE.

THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY TOOK PLACE THIS MORNING DURING A VISIT BY MR ROWLANDS TO THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AT THE EMPIRE CENTRE IN TSIM SHA TSUI.

AFTER THE CEREMONY, MR ROWLANDS CALLED ON ALL CIVIL SERVANTS TO LET THE STAFF SUGGESTIONS COMMITTEE KNOW OF ANY PROPOSAL OR IDEA THEY MAY HAVE ON WAYS TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.

HE DISCLOSED THAT SOME 320 SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE COMMITTEE SINCE THE SCHEME WAS STARTED IN 1974. THIS YEAR ALONE 46 SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.

+I CERTAINLY ANTICIPATE TO SEE MORE SUGGESTIONS BEING ACCEPTED IN FUTURE,+ HE SAID.