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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1976
HE SAID THAT SINCE 1975, 50.5 PER CENT OF THE PEOPLE ARRESTED FOR CRIME WERE FIRST OFFENDERS, AND OF THE FIRST OFFENDERS 46 PER CENT WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 21 YEARS.
ON NARCOTICS AND TRIAD ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE PRISON, HE SAID THERE WAS A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FINANCES TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO STRENGTHEN THE INTELLIGENCE GATHERING AND OTHER PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
ON HOUSING, MR. CHEONG-LEEN WELCOMED THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY ON THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME.
HE SAID # + IT IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO TAKE, PROVIDING THE SCHEME IS CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT AND PROPERLY PLANNED FOR IN ADVANCE.+
HOWEVER, HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS IN ALL LICENSED AREAS, PARTICULARLY THE OLDER AND SUB-STANDARD ONES, FINISHED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
IN REGARD TO THE OLDER MARK I AND II ESTATES, MR. CHEONG-LEEN URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO SPEED UP THE REDESIGNING AND REBUILDING OF ALL THESE SUB-STANDARD ESTATES,
ON GOVERNMENT'S ACTION PROGRAMME AGAINST INDUSTRIAL UNDER- TAKINGS IN NON-INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS, HE SAID THE CORE OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE DIFFERENCE IN AREA BETWEEN THE FACTORIES IN INDUSTRIAL AND NON-INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS.
IF THE GOVERNMENT WISHED TO PROCEED WITH ITS PLAN, HE SAID IT WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR IT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO COOPERATÉ TOGETHER TO PLAN AND TO CONSTRUCT INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WITH UNITS VARYING IN SIZE FROM 1,000 SQ. FT. TO 2,000 SQ. FT. TO CATER FOR THE NEEDS OF THE 22,000 FACTORIES IN NON-INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS.
TURNING TO THE DEPENDENT PARENTS ALLOWANCE, WHICH WAS ABOLISHED IN APRIL 1973, MR. CHEONG-LEEN REITERATED THAT LOOKING AFTER ONE'S DEPENDENT PARENTS IS A TRADITIONAL CHINESE VIRTUE, ESPECIALLY IN A CITY LIKE HONG KONG WHERE THERE ARE HARDLY ANÝ OLD PEOPLE'S HOMES.+
DESPITE THE ARGUMENTS HE PUT FORWARD LAST YEAR, HE SAID HE FOUND IT HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY WAS NOT PREPARED TO REINSTATE IT THIS YEAR.
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