XN000022-1983-03-23 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1983

*SWINGEING TAX+ ON BRANDY BACKED

****

THE PUBLIC WAS URGED TO FIND SOME SUBSTITUTE FOR BRANDY- DRINKING, AND THE SOONER THE BETTER.

THE SUGGESTION CAME FROM DR THE HON FRANCIS TIEN WHEN HE SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE SWINGEING+ TAX ON BRANDY DURING THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE TODAY.

DR TIEN NOTED THAT HONG KONG HAD THE WORLD'S HIGHEST PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION, WITH ONE-THIRD OF THE GROWN-UPS CONSUMING BRANDY IN ANY GIVEN MONTH.

IN VIEW OF HONG KONG'S LESS-THAN-PERFECT RELATIONS WITH THE FRENCH, HE SAID, IT WOULD DO NO HARM IF THE HONG KONG PUBLIC RESTRICT ITS CONSUMPTION TO BRANDY AS USEFUL OR USELESS TO MANKIND AS FRENCH EXOCET MISSILES FOR WHATEVER REASON AND WHATEVER PRETEXT+.

BRANDY IN FRENCH IS TRANSLATED AS WATER OF LIFE, BUT DR TIEN SAID, HE DID NOT SEE MUCH LIFE IN FRENCH BRANDY PRODUCTION FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE.

THE FRENCH BRANDY INDUSTRY, HE POINTED OUT, REQUIRED A CONSTANT REMINDER OF ITS DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES VIS-A-VIS THE HONG KONG PRODUCERS.

+ THE FRENCH INVENTED THE GUILLOTINE BUT THEY USE IT AGAINST US, DROWNING US IN A SEA OF LETHAL BRANDY BUT SEVERELY LIMITING THEIR IMPORTS OF OUR TIME-PIECES AND GARMENTS IN RETURN.

+LET US HOPE THAT THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAS SUCCEEDED

IN REDUCING OUR DISADVANTAGE BUT IT WILL NOT BE EASY.+

STRESSING THAT FRENCH DID NOT CAUSE PROBLEMS TO US ALONE WITH THEIR +PERNICIOUS+ DRINK, DR TIEN RECALLED AN INC IDENT

INVOLVING A BRITISH HIGH OFFICIAL WHO CAME TO HONG KONG 16 YEARS AGO TO NEGOTIATE RESTRICTIONS ON TEXTILE IMPORTS.

THE OFFICIAL CONSUMED A FAIR AMOUNT OF BRANDY SO MUCH SO THAT SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVAL AT THE DEPARTURE LOUNGE AT THE AIRPORT HE INADVERTENTLY LOCKED HIMSELF IN THE TOILET.

HE WAS LATER RESCUED FROM HIS PREDICAMENT BUT HONG KONG HAD A BAD TEXTILE AGREEMENT WITH THE UK THAT YEAR.

+MAY BE BRANDY WAS TO BLAME, DR TIEN SAID.

IN HIS OPINION, DR TIEN SAID, NEITHER THE BRITISH WHO INVENTED THE SHIRT AND THE FRENCH WHO INVENTED THE RUFFLE WERE KEEN ON HONG KONG'S SHIRTS OR ITS RUFFLES.

+LET THEM REMEMBER THAT WE TOO WISH TO HAVE A PLACE UNDER THE SUN AND TO A RIGHT TO FAIR TRADE AND DIGNITY.

+I TRUST THE NEW SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY AND THE NEW HEAD OF THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL WILL BOTH LEND THEIR FULL SUPPORT TO THE WORTHY CAUSE OF FAIR TRADE AND FAIR PLAY,+ HE SAID.