XN000022-1983-08-31 — Page 7

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YENESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1983

HE SAID HEADS OF SCHOOLS MAY AT THEIR DISCRETION AWARD GRANTS FOR CASES OF EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVING HARDSHIP NOT COVERED BY THE RECKONER.

+THESE DISCRETIONARY GRANTS, HOWEVER, WILL HAVE TO BE WITHIN THE SCHOOL'S OVERALL 25 PER CENT ENTITLEMENT AND ARE SUBJECT TO AN OVERALL MAXIMUM NUMBER CALCULATED AT THE RATE OF THREE FULL GRANTS PER CLASS, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS MAY, IN EXCEPTIONAL CASES, SEEK APPROVAL FROM THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TO AWARD AN ADDITIONAL NUMBER OF GRANTS OVER THE 25 PER CENT CEILING. SUCH ADDITIONAL GRANT, HOWEVER, WILL ONLY BE POSSIBLE IF THERE ARE 'SAVINGS' RESULTING FROM SOME SCHOOLS NOT REQUIRING TO TAKE UP THEIR FULL QUOTA,

PUPILS WHO WISH TO BENEFIT FROM THE SCHEME CAN APPLY THROUGH THE IR SCHOOLS USING A STANDARDISED FORM TO BE COMPLETED AND SIGNED BY THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS. THE GRANTS WILL BE PAID DIRECT TO THE BANK ACCOUNTS OF PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OF SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS AND NOT TO THE PUPILS THEMSELVES.

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FINANCIAL SECRETARY TOURS FACTORIES

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THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE, TODAY

(WEDNESDAY) VISITED AN ELECTRONICS FACTORY AND ACAN MANUFACTURING PLANT IN TAI PO.

ON ARRIVAL AT VIDEO TECHNOLOGY LTD., SIR JOHN, ACCOMPANIED BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MR PETER KIANG, WAS WELCOMED BY THE COMPANY'S CHAIRMAN, MR STEPHEN LEUNG.

SIR JOHN WAS BRIEFED ON THE COMPANY'S EXPANSION SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1976 AND ITS DIVERSIFICATION FROM ELECTRONIC GAMES TO HOME COMPUTERS. THE COMPANY NOW OPERATES ON 9 300 SQUARE METRES OF FLOOR AREA AND EMPLOYS 1 000 WORKERS.

HE ALSO LEARNED THAT THE COMPANY HAD A STRONG TEAM TO DESIGN CIRCUITS, KEYBOARDS AND SOFTWARE AND MICROPROCESSOR APPLICATION.

THE COMPANY'S PRODUCTS, INCLUDING COMPUTERS, MICROPROCESSORS AND COMPUTER PERIPHERALS, AND TV GAMES, ARE MAINLY FOR EXPORT TO EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA.

SIR JOHN NEXT VISITED M.C. PACKAGING (HONG KONG) LTD. AT THE TAI PO INDUSTRIAL ESTATE AND TOURED THE PLANT IN THE COMPANY OF THE DIRECTOR AND GENERAL MANAGER, MR LO FOO-CHEUNG.

THE FACTORY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1978 WITH HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE INTERESTS.

THE PLANT, LOCATED IN A 26 000-SQUARE METRE PURPOSE-BUILT INDUSTRIAL BUILDING, PRODUCES ON HIGHLY AUTOMATED MACHINERY ALUMINIUM CANS FOR SOFT DRINKS AND BEER, PULL-RING+-TYPE EASY-TO- OPEN LIDS, CANISTERS AND PLASTIC CONTAINERS.

IT CATERS FOR THE LOCAL MARKET AS WELL AS SOUTHEAST ASIA, TAIWAN, CHINA AND THE MIDDLE EAST.

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