XN000022-1996-03-15 — Page 16

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Five sub-contractors summonsed for late payment

The Labour Department has recently issued a total of 29 summonses to five sub-contractors, all engaged in the works contract of the Airport Railway's Tsing Yi Station, for suspected late payment of wages to a group of imported workers from China between July and October last year.

Two summonses were served on Benco Engineering Company, six on Construction Limited, six on Croft Engineering Limited, six on Sun Wing Kee Foundation Engineering Limited and nine on Chenkman Engineering Company Limited, under Section 23 of the Employment Ordinance.

Section 23 stipulates that wages shall become due on the expiry of the last day of the wage period and shall be paid as soon as is practicable but in any case not later than seven days thereafter. The maximum penalty for each summons is $200,000 and imprisonment for one year.

The 29 summonses have been set down for hearing on May 7 in Tsuen Wan Magistracy.

A Labour Department spokesman said the sub-contractors, except Manstone Construction Limited, had been charged carlier for suspected non-grant of a statutory holiday to a number of imported workers from China in August last year.

That case, involving 16 summonses, will also be heard in the same court on the same day.

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Language Fund applications close on March 31

Interested parties are reminded to send in their applications to the Language Fund on or before March 31.

Mrs Joyce Lui of the Secretariat for the Language Fund said applications were invited once a year.