XN000022-1985-05-01 — Page 27

25

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1985

+ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, THE AUTHORITY DOES NOT INCREASE RENT DURING AN AGREED TENANCY TERM EVEN IF THE ENTERPRISE IS MAKING VERY GOOD PROFITS, HE SAID.

MR FORD SAID THAT UNDER A TENDERED RENT SYSTEM FOR INITIAL LETTINGS OF COMMERCIAL TENANCIES, THE UPSET RENT WAS SET NOT MORE THAN 90 PER CENT OF THE FULL MARKET VALUE AS ASSESSED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF RATING AND VALUATION.

+ IF NO TENDERS ARE ATTRACTED ABOVE THIS UPSET RENT, THE PREMISES ARE PUT OUT TO TENDER AGAIN, VERY OFTEN WITHOUT ANY UPSET RENT. IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, SOME 32 PREMISES WERE LET WITH TENDERED RENTS WELL BELOW 90 PER CENT OF THE ASSESSED FULL MARKET VALUE,+ HE SAID.

WHEN TENANCIES ARE DUE FOR RENEWAL, MR FORD SAID, THE ADVICE OF THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT IS SOUGHT ON THE CURRENT MARKET RENT FOR PARTICULAR PREMISES.

+ BUT CONSIDERATION IS ALSO GIVEN NOT ONLY TO THIS FIGURE BUT ALSO TO THE VIABILITY OF TENANTS' BUSINESS. IN MANY CASES, THE RENT EVENTUALLY AGREED WITH COMMERCIAL TENANTS ON RENEWAL IS LOWER THAN THE CURRENT MARKET RENT, HE SAID.

POLICE ACT AGAINST INDECENT DISPLAYS

*****

POLICE HAD SUCCESSFULLY PROSECUTED SHOPOWNERS FOR INDECENT DISPLAYS OF SEXUAL ARTEFACTS, THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, THE HON PETER TSAO TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

THE LEGAL ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN UNDER SECTION 4 (1) OF THE OBJECTIONABLE PUBLICATIONS ORDINANCE, CAP 150, MR TSAO SAID, REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON YEUNG PO-KWÀN.

HOWEVER, MR TSAO SAID, LEGAL ADVICE WAS THAT UNLESS THE ARTICLES ON DISPLAY WERE VISUALLY OBSCENE, INDECENT OR REVOLTING, THE MERE DISPLAY OR SALE OF FUNCTIONAL ARTICLES WOULD NOT IN ITSELF GIVE RISE TO SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTIONS.

0

/26