XN000022-1984-12-19 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1984

+ HE HAS DEMONSTRATED BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE COUNCIL HIS STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG AND THE WELFARE OF ITS PEOPLE.

+HIS UNSTINTING EFFORTS IN REFLECTING THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE HAVE EARNED HIM UNIVERSAL RESPECT AND WE SHALL MISS HIS SAGE ADVICE IN THE PROCEEDINGS OF THIS COUNCIL, SIR PHILIP SAID.

MR BRAY HAD FIRST BEEN APPOINTED TO LEGCO IN 1971 AS DISTRICT COMMISSIONER (NEW TERRITORIES) AND THEN IN 1973 AS SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS.

HE LEFT HONG KONG IN 1977 TO SERVE AS HONG KONG COMMISSIONER IN LONDON AND RETURNED TO RESUME HIS POST AS SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS IN 1980.

MR BRAY HAD ALSO PRESIDED OVER THE COUNCIL ON FOUR OCCASIONS AS DEPUTY TO THE GOVERNOR.

SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, THE HON ALEX WU SAID MR BRAY WAS ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN CIVIL SERVANTS IN HONG KONG BY VIRTUE OF HIS WIDE ASSOCIATION WITH THE PEOPLE AND HIS BROAD KNOWLEDGE OF CHINESE AFFAIRS, TRADITIONS AND PHILOSOPHY.

+ HE IS WELL RESPECTED BY BOTH OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

+WE SHALL MISS HIM FOR HIS SENSE OF HUMOUR AND FOR HIS ABILITY TO INJECT A HUMAN TOUCH TO THE PROCEEDINGS OF THIS COUNCIL, MR WU SAID.

HIGHER FINES APPROVED ***

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY APPROVED INCREASES IN THE MAXIMUM FINES THAT MIGHT BE IMPOSED BY A COURT FOR OFFENCES UNDER THE INLAND REVENUE ORDINANCE.

INCREASED

MAXIMUM FINES FOR VARIOUS OFFENCES INVOLVING FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS IMPOSED BY THE ORDINANCE WERE FROM $2 000 TO $5 000 OM SUMMARY CONVICTION.

MAXIMUM FINES WERE ALSO INCREASED FROM $2 000 TO $5 000 ON SUMMARY CONVICTION AND FROM $10 000 TO $20 000 ON CONVICTION ON INDICTMENT FOR OFFENCES INVOLVING FRAUD AND THE LIKE, COMMITTED BY PERSONS WITH A WILFUL INTENT TO EVADE TAX.

MOVING THE RESOLUTION, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE SAID THAT THE LEVELS OF PENALTIES FOR THE VARIOUS OFFENCES HAD BEEN INTRODUCED ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS OVER MANY YEARS.

THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF THESE PENALTIES HAD SINCE BEEN ERODED BY INFLATION AND THE PROPOSAL WOULD RESTORE THE EFFECT OF THE PENALTIES AVAILABLE TO THE COURTS, HE SAID,

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