XN000022-1988-01-20 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1988

1

ALLOWANCES I

IN NT LEASES (EXTENSION) BILL URGED

THE GOVERNMENT. IN PASSING THE NEW TERRITORIES LEASES (EXTENSION) BILL 1987, SHOULD MAKE RENT CONCESSION TO VOLUNTARY, SPORTS OR NON-PROFIT MAKING ORGANISATIONS IN ORDER THAT THEY CAN

RECREATIONAL AREAS CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE MUCH-NEEDED

IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND OUTLYING ISLANDS WITHOUT THE FEAR OF HAVING CONTEND WITH RISING COSTS, LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, THE HON F.K. URGED TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

TO

HU,

WAS

MR HU, CONVENOR OF A LEGCO AD HOC GROUP STUDYING THE BILL, SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

III

ANNEX THE AIM OF THIS BILL IS TO IMPLEMENT PARAGRAPH 2 OF

LEASES IN OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION, SO THAT OVER 30,000 THE NEW TERRITORIES AND NEW KOWLOON MAY BE AUTOMATICALLY EXTENDED A PERIOD EXPIRING NOT LATER THAN JUNE

30, 2047 WITHOUT PAYMENT ADDITIONAL PREMIUM.

THREE PER INSTEAD AN ANNUAL RENT EQUIVALENT TO CURRENT RATEABLE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY WILL BE CHARGED.

FOR

OF

CENT OF

THE

NOTED THAT THE WHILE SUPPORTING THE BILL, MR HU NEVERTHELESS

40 RECREATIONAL BILL PROVIDED NO RENT CONCESSION IN REGARD TO SOME AREAS CURRENTLY HELD BY CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS SUCH AS THE BOY ASSOCIATION, Y.M.C.A, AND THE OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL.

SCOUTS

TO PAY THE GOVERNMENT A

AT PRESENT, THESE BODIES ONLY HAVE NOMINAL FEE AS RENT FOR THE USE OF THE LAND.

"I AM CONCERNED THAT IF A THREE PER CENT TAX WAS TO BE CHARGED

THE ACCORDING TO THE RATEABLE VALUE, MANY OF

ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO PAY.

"OR THEY MAY HAVE TO SHIFT THE BURDEN TO THEIR USERS, THE GENERAL PUBLIC, BY RAISING THE LEVEL OF FEES.

THAT IS

"IN BOTH CASES,

WILL IT IS THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO WAY OR ANOTHER, "MR HU SAID.

SUFFER

ONE

OF CONCERN RAISED THE DEFINITION

HE WENT ON TO POINT OUT THAT A SECOND AREA IN THE COURSE OF THE AD HOC GROUP'S DELIBERATIONS WAS OF "ESTABLISHED VILLAGE".

UNDER THE BILL, RENTS FOR

WILL VILLAGES

CERTAIN LAND HELD BY

FROM PRE-1898

REMAIN UNCHANGED AFTER INVOLVED ARE EXTENDED. THESE PRE-1898 VILLAGES, TOTALLING TODAY, ARE DEFINED ACCORDING TO A 1905 SURVEY.

SOME AD HOC GROUP MEMBERS WERE

DESCENDANTS THE LEASES AROUND 600

CONCERNED THAT SOME

MIGHT HAVE BEEN MISSED OUT FROM THE SURVEY, AND THE BE UNFAIR TO THE VILLAGERS.

VILLAGES BILL WOULD THEN

/THEY WANTED .............