XN000022-1986-03-18 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 1986

MR YEUNG SAID THE NEW CLOTHING TECHNOLOGY ACCESS UNIT OF THE AUTHORITY WOULD HELP THE INDUSTRY TO MAINTAIN ITS POSITION AT THE TOP OF THE MANUFACTURERS' LEAGUE, WITH MUTUAL BENEFIT T. BOTH MACHINERY SUPPLIERS, GARMENT MANUFACTURERS AND WORKERS.

+THE LATEST MACHINERY AVAILABLE WILL BE ON SHOW HERE SO THAT TRAINEES CAN BE GIVEN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN OPERATING IT, AND SO THAT MANUFACTURERS WILL BE ABLE TO TEST EQUIPMENT IN OPERATIONAL CONDITIONS BEFORE COMMITTING THEMSELVES TO BUYING IT. SUPPLIERS WILL BE ABLE TO USE THIS CENTRE TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR MACHINES TO CUSTOMERS.+

FIVE PER CENT RISE IN WATER CHARGES

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THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED AVERAGE INCREASES OF FIVE PER CENT IN WATER CHARGES FROM APRIL 1.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE INCREASES WERE THE RESULT THE ANNUAL REVIEW AND WERE IN LINE WITH THE POLICY OF REGULAR MODEST RISES, RATHER THAN HAVING LARGE INCREASES AT INFREQUENT INTERVALS.

HE SAID THE SMALL INCREASE APPROVED KEPT THE LEVEL OF WATER CHARGES THE SAME IN REAL TERMS.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THERE WOULD BE ONLY A SLIGHT EFFECT ON CONSUMERS, ABOUT 20 PER CENT OF DOMESTIC CONSUMERS WOULD CONTINUE TO PAY NOTHING FOR THEIR WATER WHILE A FURTHER 70 PER CENT WOULD PAY LESS THAN 50 CENTS A WEEK EXTRA.

SEVEN PER CENT WOULD PAY MORE THAN 50 CENTS, WHILE ONLY THREE PER CENT WOULD BE PAYING MORE THAN AN ADDITIONAL $1 A WEEK.

AMONG TRADE CONSUMERS 65 PER CENT WOULD PAY LESS THAN 50 CENTS A WEEK EXTRA, 12 PER CENT WOULD PAY BETWEEN 50 CENTS AND A DOLLAR A WEEK EXTRA AND A FURTHER 21 PER CENT WOULD HAVE THEIR CHARGES INCREASED BY BETWEEN $1 AND $15 A WEEK.

AS IN PREVIOUS INCREASES THE NEW HIGHER RATES WOULD APPLY ONLY TO CONSUMPTION AFTER APRIL 1, 1986, AND WOULD BE REFLECTED IN WATER BILLS ISSUED ON OR AFTER AUGUST 1, 1986.

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