XN000022-1985-07-10 — Page 27

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1985

HE SAID THE BILL BEFORE THE COUNCIL, THOUGH NOT INVOLVING IMPORTANT POINTS OF PRINCIPLE, WAS NEVERTHELESS FAIRLY COMPLEX, CONTAINING NO LESS THAN 28 CLAUSES AND 6 SCHEDULES, AND AMENDED A NUMBER OF ORDINANCES AND ITEMS OF SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION.

+THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL WILL CLEAR THE WAY FOR ELECTIONS TO THE REGIONAL COUNCIL WHICH WILL BE FORMALLY ESTABLISHED IF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL BILL RECEIVES ITS THIRD READING THIS AFTERNOON, + HE SAID.

MOVING THE COMMITTEE STAGE AND THIRD READING OF THE BILL, SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, THE HON PETER TSAO, THANKED UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS FOR THE CAREFUL STUDY OF THE BILL AND FOR THE CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS THAT HAD BEEN MADE ON THEIR BEHALF BY MR PETER WONG.

+THE AMENDMENTS TO WHICH MR WONG HAS REFERRED WILL SERVE TO IMPROVE THE BILL, NOT LEAST BY MINIMISING THE POSSIBILITY OF MISUNDERSTANDING, AND I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY THE ADMINISTRÁTION, MR TSAO SAID.

REACTION TO DRAFT REGULATIONS 'DISAPPOINTING' ****

A LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP WHICH HAD BEEN STUDYING THE DRAFT WATER POLLUTION CONTROL (GENERAL) REGULATIONS HAD RECEIVED ONLY THREE REPRESENTATIONS SO FAR AND CONSIDERED THE RESPONSE DISAPPOINTING+.

DR THE HON HARRY FANG, CONVENOR OF THE GROUP, WHICH IS ALSO STUDYING THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL (AMENDMENT) BILL, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) MEMBERS FELT THE DRAFT REGULATIONS WOULD HAVE WIDE-RANGING IMPLICATIONS AND THEY HAD +GREAT RESERVATIONS+ ABOUT ITS INTRODUCTION.

THEY HAD INVITED INDUSTRIALISTS, FACTORY OWNERS AND THE PUBLIC TO PRESENT THE IR VIEWS BUT SO FAR ONLY THREE REPRESENTATIONS HAD BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES, THE HONG KONG PRINTERS' AND DYERS' ASSOCIATION LIMITED AND THE CONSERVANCY ASSOCIATION.

THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES MAINTAINED THAT THE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL (GENERAL) REGULATIONS 1985 SHOULD BE FURTHER CLARIFIED AND REFINED SO THAT. WHILE THE OBJECTIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WERE ACHIEVED, SUCH REGULATIONS SHOULD NOT DAMAGE THE FLEXIBILITY OF MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY OR INHIBIT INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT AND RE-INVESTMENT, DR FANG SAID.

HE SAID THE FEDERATION ALSO PRESSED THAT THERE SHOULD BE CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH INDUSTRY PRIOR TO THE DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL WATER CONTROL ZONES AS THE COST IMPACT VARIED FROM ONE ZONE TO ANOTHER.

/THE HONG