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Wednesday, February 28, 1973
POLICE FORCE TO BE STRENGTHENED
Expenditure on law and order is estimated to account for 8.6 per
cent of total expenditure in 1973-74.
This was disclosed today by the Financial Secretary, the Hon.
Philip Haddon-Cave, in his budget speech in the Legislative Council.
Expenditure on the regular Police Force, he said, would be
"appreciably higher" when the present vacancies were filled.
He added that "a further $20 million will be required in 1973-74
for the recently approved additional duty allowances, provision for which
has not been included in the Draft Estimates."
The Financial Secretary said $13 million would also be required for
a radio network for patrol officers and certain operational units to increase
the effectiveness of the present strength of the Force.
If the Force were fully up to strength, and with the additional
expenditure, he added, spending on law and order would amount to about
10 per cent of total expenditure in 1973-74.
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