XN000022-1986-01-16 — Page 8

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 16,

+ IN THE CASE OF PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS, AVERAGE RATES WILL INCREASE IN 1986/87 BY 20 PER CENT (OR APPROXIMATELY $11 PER MONTH) WHETHER THE PERCENTAGE CHARGE REMAINS AT 5.5 PER CENT OR IS RAISED TO 6 PER CENT AND SO, AS WAS STATED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, RAISING THE PERCENTAGE CHARGE TO 6 PER CENT WILL NOT CAUSE ANY FURTHER INCREASE IN THE RATES PAID BY THE MAJORITY OF PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS IN 1986/87.

+FOR SMALL PRIVATE FLATS (THOSE LESS THAN 100 SQUARE METRES) AVERAGE INCREASES NEXT YEAR WILL BE IN THE REGION OF $25 PER MONTH, OR $10 MORE THAN IF THE PERCENTAGE CHARGE HAD REMAINED AT 5.5 PER CENT AND FOR LARGER FLATS (THOSE OVER 100 SQUARE METRES), THE AVERAGE INCREASE NEXT YEAR WILL BE $99 OR $56 MORE THAN IF THE PERCENTAGE CHARGE HAD NOT BEEN RAISED.+

MR BLENK INSOP, NEVERTHELESS, STRESSED THAT THESE FIGURES WERE ONLY AVERAGES AND INDIVIDUAL RATEPAYERS WOULD EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT INCREASES FROM THOSE MENTIONED.

A GENERAL RATE INCREASE, HE SAID, DID BRING WITH IT THE COMPENSATION OF HIGHER SALE PRICES AND RENTAL LEVELS.

+FURTHERMORE, RATES LEVELS IN HONG KONG AS A PERCENTAGE OF G.D.P. ARE CONSIDERABLY BELOW THOSE IN BRITAIN, NEW ZEALAND AND THE U.S.A., AND IN MANY OF THE NEWER DEVELOPMENTS NOW BEING BUILT IN HONG KONG, RATES ARE IN FACT LOWER THAN MANAGEMENT CHARGES.+

AS FOR WHETHER RATES WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST IN HONG KONG, MR BLENK INSOP SAID, +1 AM AFRAID THEY ARE HERE TO STAY, AS UNDER THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, RATEABLE VALUE WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE THE GROUND RENT PAYABLE UPON EXTENSION OF A LARGE NUMBER OF LAND LEASES WHICH EXPIRE BETWEEN NOW AND 1997.+

TOBACCO AD RULING CLARIFIED ******

THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, MR PETER TSAO, TODAY CLARIFIED THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO PROHIBIT A SERIES OF TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS SUBMITTED BY THE TOBACCO INSTITUTE OF HONG KONG.

MR TSAO SAID: +SECTION 7 OF THE TELEVISION (ADVERTISING) REGULATIONS PROVIDES THAT NO ADVERTISEMENT OF A RELIGIOUS OR POLITICAL NATURE OR CONCERNED WITH ANY INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE SHALL BE BROADCAST.

+

+THE LEGAL ADVICE GIVEN TO US IS THAT ANY ADVERTISEMENT WHICH SEEKS TO CHANGE, OR TO PREVENT A CHANGE. IN THE LAW IS LEGALLY DEFINED AS POLITICAL. THE PROPOSED ADVERTISEMENTS THEREFORE CANNOT BE APPROVED.+

وات العيد .