13
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1976.
MORE RAIN GAUGES TO BE INSTALLED
*****
THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS TO INSTALL FIVE MORE SELF- RECORDING RAIN GAUGES IN SELECTED AREAS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE STABILITY OF SLOPES, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON. DAVID MCDONALD TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM REV. THE HON. JOYCE BENNETT, HE SAID THE GAUGES WOULD BE INSTALLED EARLY NEXT YEAR AND WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THE NETWORK OF 32 ALREADY OPERATED BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY THROUGHOUT HONG KONG.
+THE INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THESE RAIN GAUGES AND FROM OTHER INSTRUMENTS TO BE INSTALLED IN THE GROUND WILL ENABLE US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND GROUND-WATER BEHAVIOUR IN HONG KONG SOILS AND TO REFINE EXISTING STABILITY-ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES TO SUIT LOCAL CONDITIONS, + HE SAID.
THE INVESTIGATIONS, HE SAID, WOULD NOT IN THEMSELVES PROVIDE EARLY WARNING OF POSSIBLE SLOPE FAILURE.
+OTHER INSTRUMENTS, OF WHICH THERE ARE ALREADY MORE THAN 200 INSTALLED AT SOME 26 LOCATIONS, PROVIDE BY REGULAR MONITORING, EARLY WARNINGS OF POSSIBLE FAILURE BY MEASURING GROUND WATER PRESSURES AND SLOPE MOVEMENTS,+ SAID MR. MCDONALD.
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (AMENDMENT) (NO.2) BILL
*****
AN AMENDMENT BILL WHICH SEEKS TO MAKE PERMANENT THE PROVISIONS OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE ORDINANCE ENABLING THE COURTS TO SUSPEND A SENTENCE OF IMPRISONMENT WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (AMENDMENT) (NO.2) BILL 1976, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON. JOHN HOBLEY, SAID THE PROVISIONS HAD BEEN IN FORCE FOR ALMOST SIX YEARS.
+EXPERIENCE DURING THAT TIME SHOWS THAT THE POWER TO SUSPEND A SENTENCE PROVIDES THE COURTS WITH A VALUABLE ALTERNATIVE WAY OF DEALING WITH SOME OFFENDERS,+ HE SAID. + THE CHIEF JUSTICE CONSIDERS THAT THE POWER SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE.+
THE PROVISIONS SHOULD BECOME PART OF THE PERMANENT LAW NOW THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN ADEQUATE TRIAL PERIOD, HE ADDED.
DEBATE ON THE MOTION WAS ADJOURNED.
/14