XN000022-1984-03-12 — Page 2

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TIME WELL SPENT

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MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1984

THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID HE WAS SURE THAT MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE REGARDED ITS FOUR OPEN MEETINGS AS TIME WELL SPENT.

SIR PHILIP WAS SPEAKING AT THE END OF THE LAST OF THE FOUR MEETINGS TODAY (MONDAY). HE SAID THAT 41 CONTROLLING OFFICERS HAD APPEARED BEFORE THE COMMITTEE TO ANSWER 265 NOTIFIED QUESTIONS AND THEY ALSO REPLIED TO SUPPLEMENTARIES. IN ADDITION 185 WRITTEN REPLIES HAD BEEN GIVEN. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WAS IN SESSION FOR OVER 16 HOURS.

TAC CONSIDERS PROPOSALS ON TAXIS

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THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AT ITS MEETING TODAY, CONSIDERED VARIOUS PROPOSALS TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE 1983 TAXI REVIEW.

THESE PROPOSALS, TOGETHER WITH THE REVIEW, WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE DISTRICT BOARDS, TAXI ASSOCIATIONS AND THE FINANCE HOUSES ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG, WHOSE MEMBERS PROVIDE FINANCING FOR THE MAJORITY OF TAXIS, TO OBTAIN THEIR COMMENTS.

IT IS ALSO INTENDED THAT THE GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY SHOULD INCLUDE QUESTIONS ON TAXI USAGE. ADDITIONALLY, PUBLIC OPINION AS REFLECTED IN THE MEDIA, WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORED.

THIS PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS IS EXPECTED TO START SHORTLY. PUBLIC RESPONSE, TOGETHER WITH THE RESULTS OF THE VARIOUS SURVEYS, WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE TAC AND, AFTERWARDS, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

ANY LEGISLATION REQUIRED WOULD BE INTRODUCED INTO AND DEBATED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BEFORE THE END OF ITS CURRENT SESSION IN JULY.

ELECTRICAL GENERATING CAPACITY TO DOUBLE

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ELECTRICAL GENERATING CAPACITY IN HONG KONG SHOULD DOUBLE BY THE EARLY 1990'S. THE DIRECTOR OF ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES, MR GRAHAM OSBORNE, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

MR OSBORNE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF +ELENEX 84+ THE FIRST HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING SHOW.

IT IS BEING HELD AT THE HONG KONG EXHIBITION CENTRE UNTIL THURSDAY AND HAS ATTRACTED PRODUCTS FROM OVER 60 PARTICIPANTS.

/HE SAID