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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 1975
CUT IN AUXIE STRENGTH MADE UP BY LARGER POLICE FORCE
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THE GRADUAL SCALING DOWN OF THE AUXILIARY POLICE FORCE WILL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT LAW ENFORCEMENT AS THE REGULAR POLICE FORCE IS FAST EXPANDING, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES, TOLD COUNCIL TODAY.
MR. DAVIES SAID IT HAD ALWAYS BEEN THE INTENTION TO REDUCE THE AUXILIARY FORCE TO SOME EXTENT AS THE STRENGTH OF THE REGULAR POLICE FORCE INCREASES.
DURING THIS FINANCIAL YEAR, HE SAID, THE STRENGTH OF THE AUXILIARY POLICE FORCE WOULD BE STABILISED AT 5,000, AND THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FINANCIAL PROVISION TO PERMIT A DAILY TURN OUT OF 1,300 AUXILIARIES ON EIGHT-HOUR SHIFTS COMPARED WITH A DAILY AVERAGE OF 1,500 IN 1974/75. HOWEVER, THERE WERE LIKELY TO BE MORE THAN 1,300 AUXILIARIES PERFORMING DUTY ON ANY PARTICULAR DAY SINCE MANY OF THEM WERE AVAILABLE FOR ONLY FOUR TO SIX HOURS DUTY PER DAY.
THE REDUCTION, HE ADDED, HAD BEEN COUPLED WITH A TIGHTER ORGANISATION OF TURN OUT AND HAS NOT RESULTED IN ANY MARKED REDUCTION IN AUXILIARY PRESENCE IN THE STREETS.
THE REDUCTION IN TOTAL STRENGTH OF THE AUXILIARIES WOULD BE EFFECTED BY NOT REPLACING THOSE WHO RESIGN, RETIRE OR ARE DISMISSED.
MR. DAVIES NOTED THAT THE STRENGTH OF THE REGULAR FORCE AS
- 9.4 PER CENT BELOW ESTABLISHMENT AT JUNE 1 LAST YEAR WAS 14,574
COMPARED WITH 12,502 IN 1973 WHEN THE FORCE WAS 22 PER CENT BELOW STRENGTH.
TWO BILLS PASSED
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TWO BILLS WERE PASSED INTO LAW IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
THEY WERE THE INLAND REVENUE (AMENDMENT) (NO. 4) BILL WHICH GIVES THE GOVERNMENT GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN FIXING TAX-FREE INTEREST RATES, AND THE SUMMARY OFFENCES (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL WHICH SIMPLIFIES THE PROCEDURE OF BRINGING AN IMPERSONATOR OF A CIVIL SERVANT TO COURT.
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