XN000022-1986-03-12 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1986

ON THE PASSAGE AND BAGGAGE ALLOWANCES WHICH HAD BEEN EXCLUDE_ FROM THE CHARGE TO SALARIES TAX SINCE 1947, SIR JOHN SAID THE REASON FOR THIS EXCLUSION, WHEN FIRST INTRODUCED, APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN TO ASSIST HONG KONG BUSINESSES TO OFFER TERMS AND CONDITIONS LIKELY TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE OVERSEAS STAFF NECESSARY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW BUSINESS METHODS AND TECHNIQUES.

HE NOTED THAT IN RECENT TIMES THERE HAD BEEN A GROWING TENDENCY FOR LOCALLY RECRUITED STAFF TO BE ALSO GIVEN PASSAGE ALLOWANCES TO TAKE LEAVE OUTSIDE HONG KONG.

IN HONG KONG THE INCLUSION OF A TAX-FREE PASSAGE ALLOWANCE IN THE OVERALL SALARY PACKAGE HAD BECOME SO WELL ESTABLISHED THAT SIR JOHN SAID THAT HE WAS MOST HESITANT TO DISTURB THE EXISTING SITUATION.

RECRUITMENT OF QUALIFIED LAWYERS NOT A PROBLEM

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO DIFFICULTY AT THE MOMENT IN RECRUITING QUALIFIED LAWYERS TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING A QUESTION BY DR THE HON DANIEL TSE, MR HENDERSON SAID HOWEVER THE FINANCIAL REWARDS OF PRIVATE PRACTICE WERE TOO ATTRACTIVE TO RETAIN THEIR SERVICES IN MANY CASES ONCE THEY HAD BEEN TRAINED AND HAD ACQUIRED GREATER EXPERIENCE.

HE NOTED THAT THE DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AS MENTIONED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN HIS SPEECH AT THE OPENING OF THE LEGAL YEAR RELATED TO THE RETENTION OF LOCAL LAWYERS IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THEY HAD ACQUIRED THE EXPERIENCE NECESSARY FOR SENIOR POSITIONS AND, AT THE SAME TIME, KEEPING EXPERIENCED EXPATRIATE LAWYERS UNTIL THIS STAGE WAS REACHED.

NEVERTHELESS, MR HENDERSON SAID, THE ADMINISTRATION TRIED TO KEEP THE DEMAND FOR LAWYERS UNDER REVIEW +IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT WE PRODUCE SUFFICIENT TRAINED LAWYERS TO MEET OUR NEEDS+.

IN THE LIGHT OF SUCH REVIEWS THE GOVERNMENT HAD ASKED THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG TO PROVIDE FOR AN INCREASED INTAKE OF LAW STUDENTS OVER AND ABOVE ITS NORMAL EXPANSION TARGET TO ACHIEVE AN EXPANSION TO 150 PLACES PER ANNUM IN THE CURRENT 1985-88 TRIENNIUM, HE SAID.

THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG HAD HOWEVER DECIDED THAT IT COULD NOT ACHIEVE THIS WITHIN THE PERIOD IN VIEW OF THE LIMITATION OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR THIS TRIENNIUM, MR HENDERSON SAID. ADDING THAT THE UNIVERSITY'S PROJECTIONS FOR THE 1988-91 TRIENNIUM WOULD NOT BE KNOWN UNTIL THE END OF THIS YEAR.

/HOWEVER, HE