XN000022-1984-10-30 — Page 7

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1984

DB'S BUSY COLLATING VIEWS ON DRAFT AGREEMENT

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DISTRICT BOARDS AND DISTRICT ORGANISATIONS ARE COLLATING THE IR VIEWS ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE FOR SUBMISSION TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE.

THREE DISTRICT BOARDS - TAI PO, NORTH AND SAI KUNG – HAD FORWARDED THEIR VIEWS, AND OTHERS WOULD BE DOING SO THIS WEEK AND NEXT, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

+ALL THE 18 DISTRICT BOARDS WILL HAVE SENT IN THEIR VIEWS AND COMMENTS TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE BY THE NOVEMBER 15 DEADLINE, HE SAID.

SINCE THE WHITE PAPER WAS PUBLISHED ON SEPTEMBER 26, DISTRICT BOARDS HAVE DISCUSSED ITS CONTENTS AT SPECIAL AS WELL AS THEIR REGULAR MEETINGS.

IN ADDITION, SEMINARS AND FORUMS ON THE SUBJECT HAVE BEEN ORGANISED BY AREA COMMITTEES, MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, RURAL COMMITTEES AND OTHER DISTRICT ORGANISATIONS.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THESE ORGANISATIONS AND THOSE THEY HAVE COLLECTED FROM RESIDENTS ARE ALSO BEING SENT IN TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE.

TAX RESERVE INTEREST CUT

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THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAS AUTHORISED A DECREASE IN THE RATE OF INTEREST PAYABLE ON TAX RESERVE CERTIFICATES.

THE NEW ANNUAL RATE OF INTEREST AS FROM OCTOBER 31, 1984 WILL BE 8.04 PER CENT (TAX FRÉE), AS AGAINST THE CURRENT RATE OF 8.52 PER CENT (TAX FREE).

INTEREST ON TAX RESERVE CERTIFICATES IS CALCULATED IN MONTHLY INTEREST STEPS AND THE NEW RATE WILL BE $0.67 PER MONTH PER $100. WILL BE CREDITED AS BEFORE IN RESPECT OF COMPLETED MONTHS BETWEEN PURCHASE AND SURRENDER IN PAYMENT OF TAX.

DETAILS ARE CONTAINED IN THE LATEST GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

INTEREST IS ONLY CREDITED WHEN CERTIFICATES ARE USED TO PAY TAX AND NO INTEREST IS DUE WHERE THE PRINCIPAL VALUE OF A CERTIFICATE IS REPAID BY A CHEQUE.

/THE NEW