XN000022-1983-04-27 — Page 31

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1983

MTR A POPULAR FORM OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT

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THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY HAD CLEARLY PROVED ITSELF AS

A POPULAR EFFICIENT AND REASONABLY PRICED FORM OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON JOHN BREMRIDGE SAID TODAY.

IN TABLING THE MTRC'S ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1982 AND ITS ACCOUNTS AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR BREMRIDGE SAID THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EVENT DURING THE YEAR WAS THE COMMISSIONING OF THE TSUEN WAN EXTENSION IN MAY,

IT WAS COMPLETED BELOW BUDGET AND SEVEN MONTHS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. BY THE END OF 1982, A DAILY AVERAGE OF 1.2 MILLION PASSENGERS WERE CARRIED BY THE MODIFIED INITIAL SYSTEM AND THE TSUEN WAN EXTENSION TOGETHER, COMPARED WITH JUST OVER 700 000 AT THE END OF 1981.

ON THE ISLAND LINE, MR BREMRIDGE SAID DESPITE PROBLEMS DUE TO THE CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES IN HONG KONG'S PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT MARKET, MAJOR CONTRACTS HAD BEEN LET AS PLANNED AND PROGRESS HAD BEEN SATISFACTORY.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY PAID TRIBUTE TO THE MTR CHAIRMAN, MR NORMAN THOMPSON WHO WILL RETIRE FROM THAT POST NEXT MONTH, FOR HIS UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CREATION OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY+.

TAX PROPOSALS APPROVED

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THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) APPROVED TAX PROPOSALS MADE BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY IN HIS BUDGET FOR 1983-84.

THE PROPOSALS, SET OUT IN FOUR RESOLUTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO YIELD $2 105 MILLION ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.

THE FOUR RESOLUTIONS WERE MADE UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE DUTIABLE COMMODITIES ORDINANCE FOR INCREASES IN DUTY RATES FOR LIQUOR, TOBACCO AND HYDROCARBON OILS: SECTION 18(1) OF THE RATING ORDINANCE FOR INCREASES IN THE GENERAL RATE PERCENTAGES: SECTION 18 OF THE BUSINESS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE FOR INCREASE IN ANNUAL BUSINESS REGISTRATION FEE, AND SECTION 3(2) OF THE HOTEL ACCOMMODATION TAX ORDINANCE FOR INCREASE IN THE RATE OF HOTEL ACCOMMODATION TAX ON ROOM CHARGES.

FOUR AMENDMENT BILLS WERE ALSO INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES.

/THE FOUR