XN000022-1993-02-10 — Page 21

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1993

THE PARTIES HAVE BEEN SEPARATED FOR TWO YEARS (INSTEAD OF THE CURRENT REQUIREMENT OF FIVE YEARS);

(B)

OR

(C)

THE PARTIES HAVE GIVEN A JOINT NOTICE

ΤΟ THE COURT OF THEIR INTENTION TO DIVORCE AND THEN, AFTER A MINIMUM PERIOD OF ONE YEAR, HAVE FILED A JOINT APPLICATION FOR DIVORCE (A NEW PROVISION);

THE GENERAL RULE THAT NO PETITION FOR DIVORCE MAY BE PRESENTED WITHIN THREE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF MARRIAGE SHOULD BE AMENDED BY CHANGING THE PERIOD TO ONE YEAR.

GROWTH IN PRIVATE CAR FLEET

RAISING THE FIRST REGISTRATION TAX (FRT) AND ANNUAL LICENCE FEE LEVELS HAD PROVED QUITE EFFECTIVE IN THE PAST IN REGULATING THE GROWTH IN NUMBER OF PRIVATE CARS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LAM KUI-CHUN, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN

"THE OBJECTIVE IN SETTING THE RATE OF FRT IS TO CONTAIN THE GROWTH IN NUMBERS OF PRIVATE CARS TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL, HAVING REGARD TO ROAD CONDITIONS AND THE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC THAT CAN BE ABSORBED BY PLANNED ROAD PROJECTS, HE SAID.

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IT IS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF GOVERNMENT REVENUE, ACCOUNTING FOR $3.4 BILLION OR ABOUT 3% OF TOTAL REVENUE IN 1991/92.

HOWEVER, MR LEUNG SAID VEHICLE OWNERSHIP WAS RISING AGAIN AS A RESULT OF INCREASING AFFLUENCE, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CURRENT RATES OF FRT AND ANNUAL LICENCE FEE IN CONTAINING CAR OWNERSHIP WAS BEING GRADUALLY ERODED.

THE NUMBER OF NEW PRIVATE CARS REGISTERED HAD INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM 28,926 IN 1990 TO 31,131 IN 1991 AND FURTHER TO 41,878 IN 1992.

"WE ARE MONITORING THE SITUATION CAREFULLY BEFORE DECIDING WHAT FURTHER MEASURES MIGHT BE NEEDED TO MAINTAIN A FREE FLOW OF TRAFFIC ON OUR ROADS, HE SAID.

++

THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO CONSIDERING AMENDMENTS TO THE FIRST REGISTRATION TAX ORDINANCE TO REDUCE THE SCOPE FOR TAX AVOIDANCE FOR VEHICLES AND TO ENSURE THAT THE FRT REMAINS EFFECTIVE BOTH IN TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT AND FISCAL TERMS, MR LEUNG SAID.

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