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will be taken to assist young people living in resettlement estates to find employment.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, would you be good enough to ask Mr. BARTY to explain to me in detail, orally or in writing, why the answer to the first part of the question is No. Would you please also tell him I would expect a detailed reply. Could I have that assurance Sir?
CHAIRMAN: Sir, I will convey your point to Mr. BARTY.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Thank you very much.
(16) MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:
(a) Residents from Li Cheng Uk and Shek Kip Mei Resettlement Estates have complained to me that organized Tse Fa gambling is again rampant in these estates; to what extent is the Commissioner for Resettlement aware of this?
(b) Will the Commissioner for Resettlement take this matter up with the Commissioner of Police and inquire whether the Police are aware that there is an organized and flourishing Tse Fa gambling racket going on in these two estates, according to complaints made by residents actually living in these estates; what steps did the Police take to curb this racket within the past six months?
(c) Will the Commissioner for Resettlement also inquire from the Police whether Tse Fa gambling is also flourishing in other resettlement estates, and what steps have the Police been taking in this respect?
(d) Will the Commissioner furthermore inquire from the Commissioner of Police whether he intends to establish a Special Bureau especially for the purpose of combatting illegal gambling and when will such a Bureau be established?
CHAIRMAN: I rise to answer this question also on behalf of the Commissioner for Resettlement, Mr. BARTY.
MR. BARTY states he is well aware of Tse Fa gambling activities in the Li Cheng Uk and Shek Kip Mei Resettlement Estates. His estate staff maintain regular liaison with Police Stations in their respective districts and pass on relevant information to them for action.
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The answer to the second part of the question is that the Commissioner of Police is also aware of these activities. During the period 1st August, 1965 to 31st January, 1966, there were 262 cases resulting in 247 arrests in Shek Kip Mei estate and 122 cases involving 108 arrests in Li Cheng Uk.
In reply to the third part of the question Mr. BARTY states he is advised that the results of Police action does not indicate that this type of gambling is so prevalent in other estates. For example, in the eight estates covered by the Wong Tai Sin Police Division, there were only 233 cases involving 219 arrests in the same six month period.
The matter raised in the fourth part of the question does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Council, but Mr. BARTY states that he would be happy to refer it to the Commissioner of Police.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, if you had not stated a little while ago that Mr. BARTY was down with influenza, I would have thought that this question was one of the reasons why he was staying away from the meeting, (Laughter) especially since I find it incomprehensible why the answer in paragraph 4—as you say is that certain parts of the question were answered by the Police, and that part of the question which has to do with the setting up of an anti-gambling bureau, is not within the scope of this Council, and that Mr. BARTY would be happy to refer it to the Commissioner of Police. I would have thought, Sir, all aspects of the question could be referred at the same time and a proper answer given. Are you aware, Sir, that this proposal to set up an anti-gambling bureau in the Police Department was a specific recommendation of the Gambling Policy Advisory Committee?
CHAIRMAN: I was not, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: You were not aware, Sir? Sir, don't you read Government reports at all? (Laughter).
CHAIRMAN: Sir, I read them with meticulous attention, but this was a point which I must confess escaped my notice.
MR. BERNACCHI: To come to the rescue of the Chairman, I consider that if one reads every report that emanates from Government, one would not get any sleep at all! (Laughter).
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Sir, is Mr. BERNACCHI implying that all Government servants never read reports which come from Government Advisory Committees? In which case, why should members of the
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