XN000022-1986-05-09 — Page 10

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FRIDAY, MAY 9, 1986

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE FEES WERE LAST REVISED IN DECEMBER 1980 AND NO LONGER REFLECTED THE COSTS INVOLVED.

HE EXPLAINED FURTHER THAT THE REVISION IN 1980 ONLY TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE SALARY COSTS OF OFFICERS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN FILM CENSORSHIP, BUT NOT THE ASSOCIATED ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEADS.

+AN UP-TO-DATE COSTING OF FILM CENSORSHIP HAS SHOWN THAT THE FEES WOULD NEED TO BE INCREASED BY 118 PER CENT IF THE FULL COSTS WERE TO BE RECOVERED AT LATE 1985 PRICES,+ HE SAID.

AFTER CONSULTATION WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TRADE AND IN VIEW OF THE LIKELY FINANCIAL HARDSHIP WHICH WOULD BE CAUSED TO SMALLER OPERATORS, THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL DECIDED THAT THE RECOVERY OF FULL COSTS SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED OVER A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS.

TO ALLOW FOR MINIMAL FEE INCREASES ON A REGULAR BASIS, A SECOND STAGE OF INCREASES WOULD BE CONSIDERED IN EARLY 1987 WHEN THE ACTUAL COSTS WOULD AGAIN BE ASSESSED, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE AUTHORITY HAD TAKEN MEASURES TO MINIMISE COSTS AND TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY THROUGH CENSOR REDEPLOYMENT.

NEW FIREMEN REMINDED OF MAIN TASK

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A GROUP OF NEWLY-GRADUATED FIREMEN WERE TOLD TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT THE IR MAIN TASK WAS TO HELP THE NEEDY IN DISTRESS RATHER THAN MAKE THEMSELVES POPULAR IN THE PUBLIC EYE.

ADDRESSING THE GRADUATES AT A PASSING-OUT CEREMONY AT THE FIRE SERVICES PAT HEUNG TRAINING SCHOOL, THE DEPUTY CHIEF FIRE OFFICER, MR WOO KWAN-KUEN, SAID THEY SHOULD NOT FORGET THAT AS A MEMBER OF THE HONG KONG FIRE SERVICES, THEY HAD A DUTY TO FULFIL.

+ IT IS UP TO YOU TO UTILISE THE SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED FROM TRAINING TO SATISFY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO TURN TO YOU IN TIME OF NEED AND DISTRESS AND BRING THEM RELIEF.+

MR WOO THEN REVIEWED A PARADE OF 19 GRADUATES AND ABOUT 100 NEW RECRUITS UNDER TRAINING AND PRESENTED THE BEST RECRUIT AWARD TO MR CHAN KWOK-HUNG.

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