XN000022-1986-01-29 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1986

+THE COMMUNITY IS OVERWHELMINGLY UNITED ON THE PRINCIPLES AND THE MORAL ISSUES INVOLVED IN THIS MATTER, SHE SAID.

SHE ADDED THAT SPEAKERS IN THE RECENT DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS HAD GRASPED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS FACT.

SHE NOTED THAT LORD AVEBURY HAD POINTED OUT THAT THE FORCEFUL AND UNANIMOUS RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CONSTITUTED THE ONLY POSSIBLE MEANS BY WHICH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ARE ABLE TO GAUE THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AS A WHOLE+ WHILE LORD MACLEHUS= SAID THAT HE COULD NOT RECALL AN OCCASION ON WHICH THERE HAD BEEN SUCH UNANIMITY Y AND SUCH FORCE BEHIND A REQUEST BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.

+SO THE DEPTH OF OUR FEELINGS ON THIS SUBJECT HAS BEEN RECOGNISED IN WESTMINSTER.

+OUR DEMANDS HAVE BEEN LODGED, WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. WE AWAIT THEIR DECISION, MISS DUNN SAID.

RATE PERCENTAGE INCREASE EXPLAINED

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FOLLOWING THE ENACTMENT OF THE RATING (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985 ON JANUARY 22, 1986, A RESOLUTION WAS PASSED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO INCREASE FROM APRIL 1, 1986 THE TOTAL RATES PERCENTAGES IN BOTH THE URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCIL AREAS FROM 5.5 PER CENT TO 6 PER CENT.

THESE INCREASES ARE NECESSARY TO MEET THE FINANCIAL NEEDS OF THE TWO COUNCILS IN 1986-87 AND 1987-88.

COMMENTING ON THE RESOLUTION, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT UNDER EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS, MOST DOMESTIC FLATS WOULD IN ANY CASE FACE A RATES INCREASE IN THESE TWO YEARS.

THESE IN THE CASE OF DOMESTIC PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS, INCREASES WOULD AVERAGE APPROXIMATELY $11 PER MONTH IN 1986-87 AND A FURTHER $6 IN 1987-88.

FOR SMALL DOMESTIC UNITS (1.E. THOSE WITH A NET AREA OF LESS THAN 100 SQUARE METRES) AND LARGE DOMESTIC UNITS (1.E. THOSE WITH A NET AREA OF 100 SQUARE METRES OR MORE) THEY WOULD AVERAGE APPROXIMATELY $15 AND $43 PER MONTH RESPECTIVELY IN 1986-87, WITH NO FURTHER INCREASE IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

AS A RESULT OF THE INCREASE IN THE RATES PERCENTAGES WITH EFFECT FROM APRIL 1, DOMESTIC PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS WILL ON AVERAGE PAY NO MORE THAN THE ADDITIONAL $11 PER MONTH PAYABLE UNDER THE EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS IN 1986-87 AND A FURTHER $6.40 IN 1987-88.

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