XN000022-1985-03-27 — Page 23

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1985

+

DO NOT BELIEVE THAT HAVING A SOFT DRINK ON A HOT SUMMER

DAY IS A LUXURY, HE SAID,

ON THE CONTRARY, MR WONG SAID, MANY OTHER COMMODITIES BETTER MET THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S PRINCIPLES FOR THE IMPOSITION OF DUTY.

EXAMPLES INCLUDED AIR-CONDITIONERS, HIGH-QUALITY CLOTHES, EXPENSIVE FAMOUS BRAND WATCHES, GOLD ORNAMENTS, HI-FI SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT.

+COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING, THESE ARE THE MERCHANDISE OR NON-ESSENTIALS FOR THE HIGHER INCOME GROUP AND ARE BETTER TARGETS THAN BEVERAGES SUCH AS SOFT DRINKS FOR THE IMPOSITION OF THE DUTY WITH EQUALLY CONSIDERABLE POTENTIAL YIELD, HE SAID.

EARLIER IN HIS SPEECH, MR WONG COMMENTED ON THE INCREASE IN SIZE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AND THE HOUSING POLICY.

HE SAID THAT IT WAS ABSOLUTELY REASONABLE AND NECESSARY FOR THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO CONTINUE HIS EFFORTS IN CONTROLLING PUBLIC SECTOR EXPENDITURE AND ESPECIALLY THE INCREASE IN SIZE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.

+HOWEVER IN RESTRAINING THE GROWTH OF VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT TO THE REQUEST OF DISCIPLINARY DEPARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE,+ MR WONG NOTED.

HE SAID THAT PART OF THE JUSTIFICATIONS OF STAFF INCREASE IN THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE WAS MERELY THE INCREASE IN WORKLOAD WHICH WAS MORE OR LESS SIMILAR TO THE JUSTIFICATIONS PUT UP BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

IN RECENT YEARS, HE SAID, AUTOMATION HAD BEEN INTRODUCED IN THE POLICE FORCE WITH ADVANCED EQUIPMENT TO HANDLE THE WORK, BUT THE DEMAND ON STAFF RESOURCES HAD NOT DROPPED BUT RATHER HAD INCREASED.

+THIS IS WORTH A CAREFUL STUDY AND REVIEW, HE SAID.

MR WONG SAID HE DID NOT MEAN AT ALL TO PINPOINT THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE AND HE UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING LAW AND ORDER.

HOWEVER, AT A TIME WHEN FRUGALITY WAS VIGOROUSLY PURSUED, ANY PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT ENJOYED BY A PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND A BLOW TO STAFF MORALE GENERALLY.

TURNING TO THE HOUSING POLICY, MR WONG SAID HE WAS PLEASED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS STILL VIGOROUSLY BUILDING PUBLIC HOUSING AND HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME FLATS.

/HE FELT