XN000022-1984-01-18 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1984

HE ADDED THAT THE HOOLIGANISM AND VIOLENCE WHICH TOOK PLACE ON JANUARY 13 WERE A SOBERING REMINDER OF THE FRAGILITY OF OUR SOCIETY.

+THE RESTRAINT AND GOOD SENSE EXERCISED BY THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE CARRIED THE DAY AND I BELIEVE | SPEAK FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS FOR THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, WHEN I EXPRESS OUR ADMIRATION AND APPRECIATION OF THE IR DISCIPLINE AND PERFORMANCE IN A VERY TRYING SITUATION, HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS TO THE TAXI-OPERATORS, HE SAID THAT WHILE HE APPRECIATED THE NEED FOR THE REVENUE PROTECTION ORDERS, HE WAS BOUND TO OBSERVE THAT NO ALLOWANCE WAS MADE FOR A NUMBER OF HARDSHIP SITUATIONS, ONE BEING TAXI-OPERATORS WHO HAD RECENTLY TENDERED SUCCESSFULLY FÖR LICENCES ON THE BASIS OF THE PREVIOUS FEE LEVELS BUT WHO HAD NOT YET REGISTERED THEIR VEHICLES,

+WE ARE TOLD THERE ARE SOME 873 VEHICLES IN THIS SITUATION,+ HE SAID.

+AND THE INCREASES ALSO STRUCK PARTICULARLY HARD AT OWNER-OPERATORS DUE TO REPLACE THEIR TAXIS.+

+MOREOVER, THE ADMINISTRATION'S DECLARATION THAT TAXIS ARE TO BE REGARDED AS A FORM OF PERSONALISED TRANSPORT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE APPLIED CONSISTENTLY SINCE TAXIS ARE REGARDED AS PUBLIC VEHICLES FOR FARE CONTROL PURPOSES AND AS PRIVATE VEHICLES FOR TAX PURPOSES.

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+FINALLY. THE 7.5 PER CENT ASSESSMENT OF THE INCREASED COST TO THE TRADE SEEMS HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE,+ HE ADDED,

ON THE REACTIONS OF THE TAXI TRADE, HE SAID, WHILE THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY CHOSE TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR DISSATISFACTION IS TO BE REGRETTED, THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT OF THE SINCERITY AND DEPTH OF FEELING OF INDIVIDUAL TAXI-OPERATORS AT WHAT THEY BELIEVE TO BE THREATENING FORCES TO THEIR LIVELIHOOD.

+THEIR PREDICAMENT APPEARS TO HAVE ATTRACTED GENERAL PUBLIC SYMPATHY, MY UNOFFICIAL COLLEAGUES AND I COULD NOT FAIL BUT REACT TO THIS GROUNDSWELL OF PUBLIC OPINION, HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT ALL ASPECTS OF THE PACKAGE WERE TOUCHED ON AT LONG MEETINGS WITH THE TAXI TRADE REPRESENTATIVES.

HE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED WITH APPRECIATION THE READINESS WITH WHICH THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT MADE HIMSELF AVAILABLE TO ASSIST THE UNOFFICIALS.

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