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35
Wednesday, October 17, 1973
would be the case. The Secretary for Home Affairs, as Chairman of the
campaign Comittee, will be going into details later in the debate.
But I can say here and now that from the reports received from
a vory wide variety of sources, I believe we are getting to grips with
the problem. The methods chosen appear to have been ones the public
understand and appreciate, and they have secured the public's cooperation
and involvement on a scale and in a way that is quite now. Many people,
fræs all levels of society, have come forward to help, to organise and
to give a load in making their neighbourhood safer. With this civilian
endeavour and sustained police effort, public confidence and ease of
mind has improved. Crime was once regarded as a problem for the police
alone. It is now accepted as one for the community. There is a new and
healthier spirit, new determination, new hope.
So far so good. We should not be dismayed by the length of
the road that we still have to travel. We always knew it would be long and
hard. But we can take encouragement from having made a sound start.
Now everyone, Government, Police and public, must continue as they have
started, must not be deflected, and we will prevail.
I shall continue to take the closest possible personal interest
in this joint effort by police and public to reduce crime. Nothing touches
so intimately the ease of mind and happiness of our community.
The Есолощу
Finally a word about the state of our economy. It is on the
success of this that our future development depends. I have said in the
past that the aim of this Government was prosperity with social progress.
Social progress can only be based on prosperity. What then is the state
of our prosperity?
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