XN000022-1985-04-17 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1985

IN REPLY TO MRS CHOW AND DR HO KAM-FAI'S COMPLAINT ABOUT THE BURDEN BEING LAID ON MOTORISTS, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY WISHED TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT HE HAD MADE AN ESPECIAL CONCESSION TO MOTORISTS IN THAT THE INCREASES ON PETROL AND VEHICLE LICENCE TAXES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THE RATE OF INFLATION OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

HE SAID THIS WAS DESPITE HIS BELIEF IN GENERAL THAT YIELDS IN TAXATION MUST BE MAINTAINED IN REAL TERMS.

+TAXES IN THESE AREAS ARE LOWER IN REAL TERMS THAN THEY WERE IN 1983. WHAT COULD SEEM MORE REASONABLE AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF ANOTHER DEFICIT BUDGET?+ HE ASKED.

CO-OPERATION BETWEEN UNOFFICIALS

AND CIVIL SERVICE IMPORTANT

****

THE NEED FOR A CO-OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AND THE CIVIL SERVICE WOULD BECOME NO LESS IMPORTANT AS HONG KONG ENTERED THE ERA OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID TODAY.

+WE SHOULD NURTURE THAT RELATIONSHIP CAREFULLY, EVEN THOUGH THE ERA OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT MAY WELL LEAD TO A TENDEN CY TO MORE ADVERSARI AL - BUT HOPEFULLY NOT FACTIONAL POLITICS - AND MAY WELL DIMINISH THE EASY INFORMALITY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AND THE CIVIL SERVICE IN THE CONDUCT OF MUCH OF OUR BUSINESS, + SIR PHILIP SAID AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE.

+BUT THE CO-OPERATIVE NATURE OF THAT RELATIONSHIP BASED ON TRUST, SEASONED WITH CREATIVE TENSION FROM TIME TO TIME AND EXPRESSED IN OPEN DEBATE IN THIS COUNCIL AND IN FRANK DISCUSSIONS IN MANY OTHER FORUMS, MUST BE PRESERVED AND PRESERVED WHATEVER THE CONSTITUTIONAL SETTING OF THAT RELATIONSHIP IN THE FUTURE,+ SIR PHILIP SAID.

SIR PHILIP ALSO REPLIED TO A NUMBER OF POINTS RAISED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS CONCERNING THE CIVIL SERVICE.

/FOLLOWING IS