XN000022-1986-03-12 — Page 14

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1986

THANKING MR CHEUNG AND MR CHEONG-LEEN FOR THEIR SUPPORT ON THE BILLS, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, THE HON DONALD LIAO, SAID HE AGREED THAT THE NEW CHINESE NAME OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL WOULD REFLECT MORE ACCURATELY THE NATURE AND THE SCOPE OF WORK OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL.

+1 ALSO AGREE THAT THE CONSTANT EXCHANGE OF VIEWS AMONGST MEMBERS OF BOTH THE REGIONAL AND URBAN COUNCILS ON MATTERS OF COMMON INTEREST FALLING WITHIN BOTH COUNCILS RESPONSIBILITIES IS INDEED IN THE BEST PUBLIC INTEREST,+ HE SAID.

OIL POWERS FOR USE ONLY IN +EXTREME CRISIS+

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THE GOVERNMENT HAD CERTAIN POWERS IN RELATION TO OIL SUPPLY AND PRICE, BUT HAD NEVER USED THEM, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE SAID TODAY.

AND HE DID NOT ENVISAGE THE POWERS BEING USED, +EXCEPT IN TIMES OF EXTREME CRISIS, HE SAID.

HAVING SAID THAT, HE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE WAS NOT SURPRISED AT THE GENERAL UNHAPPINESS THAT DEVELOPED OVER THE OIL COMPANIES GYRATING PRICING POLICIES IN THE 48 HOURS AFTER THE BUDGET SPEECH.

+AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO IMPROVE THEIR PUBLIC RELATIONS, + SIR JOHN SAID, ADDING:

+NO DOUBT A FURTHER DECREASE IN PRICES IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WILL ASSIST.+

REPLYING TO QUESTIONS BY THE HON RITA FAN CONCERNING OIL PRICES, SIR JOHN SAID ALSO THAT IT WAS NOT GOVERNMENT POLICY TO SEEK TO INFLUENCE THE LEVEL OF OIL PRICES OR INDEED ANY OTHER COMMODITY.+

BUT THE GOVERNMENT DID HAVE POWERS IN RELATION TO OIL SUPPLY UNDER THE OIL (CONSERVATION AND CONTROL) ORDINANCE (CAP. 264) INTRODUCED AT THE TIME OF THE 1979 WORLD-WIDE OIL SHORTAGE.

THE ORDINANCE ENABLED THE DIRECTOR OF OIL SUPPLIES, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, TO CONTROL, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE SUPPLY AND USE OF OIL AND ALSO TO REGULATE THE PRICE AT WHICH OIL MIGHT BE SOLD. BUT THE POWERS WERE FOR USE ONLY IN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES, HE SAID.

/THE MAJOR

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