XN000022-1982-12-22 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1982

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HE POINTED OUT THAT THE CHILDREN WHO WOULD BE CHIEFLY AFFECTED WERE THOSE BORN OF REFUGEE PARENTS AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS +WHO HAVE NO LEGITIMATE CALLS ON OUR RESOURCES AND OVER WHOM WE HAVE HAD TO ENACT STRINGENT BUT NECESSARY MEASURES OF CONTROL IN RECENT YEARS+.

MR SWAINE AGREED THAT IT WAS PAINFUL TO DECIDE WHETHER THEIR CHILDREN SHOULD BE FREE OF IMMIGRATION CONTROL.

+BUT GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG TODAY, THEIR EXCLUSION FROM BELONGER STATUS IS I BELIEVE JUSTIFIED, HE ADDED.

THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON, CONFIRMED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE PUBLISHING THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981 IN THE GAZETTE ON DECEMBER 31 TOGETHER WITH THE SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION.

+WE WILL ALSO PUBLISH ANY FURTHER SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT PASSES, HE ADDED.

HE DESCRIBED THE SPEECH ON THE FOUR BILLS BY THE HON R.H. LOBO AS A VERY REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF THE REMARKABLE WAY+ IN WHICH MEMBERS OF BOTH THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS HAD FOUGHT FOR THE INTERESTS OF THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY.

ROAD TRAFFIC BILL 1982 BECOMES LAW

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THE ROAD TRAFFIC BILL 1982 WAS PASSED INTO LAW IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WITH AMENDMENTS TO 32 CLAUSES AND THE SCHEDULE.

THE AMENDMENTS WERE MOVED AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBER THE HON S.L. CHEN AND THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON ALAN SCOTT.

THE MORE SUBSTANTIVE AMENDMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

* CLAUSE 24 (4). THE REQUIREMENT IN SUB-CLAUSES (B) AND (D)

FOR THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ON RECEIVING AN APPLICATION TO LICENCE A MOTOR VEHICLE AS A TAXI THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES LICENSED AS TAXIS WHICH ARE OWNED BY THE APPLICANT AND HIS FINANCIAL RESOURCES IS DELETED.

* CLAUSES 35, 36, 37 AND 38. THE AMENDMENTS ARE, BRIEFLY, TO REDUCE MAXIMUM FINE LEVELS AND TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT AND DELETE THE PROVISION FOR COMPULSORY DISQUALIFICATION FOR A FIRST OFFENCE UNDER THESE CLAUSES. PROVISION 'AS ALSO BEEN MADE FOR A SUMMARY OFFENCE OF CAUSING DEATH BY RECKLESS DRIVING.

/* CLAUSE 42.