WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1979
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996 CHILDREN UNDER SWD'S CARE AND SUPERVISION ******
THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, THE HON. THOMAS LEE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) 996 CHILDREN ARE NOW UNDER THE CARE- AND SUPERVISION OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT FOR VARIOUS REASONS WHICH RENDER THE PARENTS UNFIT OR UNABLE TO LOOK AFTER THEM.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE REV. THE HON, JOYCE M. BENNETT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. LEE SAID THAT, OF THESE CHILDREN, 688 ARE LIVING WITH THEIR PARENTS AT HOME AND 308 ARE STAYING IN INSTITUTIONS.
HE SAID THAT DURING THE FIRST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE CASEWORKER CONTACTS THE PARENTS AND THE CHILDREN ABOUT ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION,
LATER ON AS THE SITUATION IMPROVES, HE SAID, THE FREQUENCY OF SUCH CONTACTS IS GRADUALLY REDUCED TO ABOUT ONCE A MONTH.
MR. LEE SAID THAT AT PRESENT 67 PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED CASEWORKERS IN THE DEPARTMENT CARRY SUCH CASES, WHICH CONSTITUTE ABOUT 13 PER CENT OF THEIR TOTAL CASELOAD AS THEY ALSO DEAL WITH OTHER TYPES OF CASES.
IN THE FAMILY SERVICES DIVISION WITH A TOTAL WORKLOAD OF 15,000 CASES, HE SAID, THERE ARE ALTOGETHER 17 CASEWORK SUPERVISORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WORK OF 144 CASEWORKERS.
ON AVERAGE, ONE SUPERVISOR SUPERVISES ABOUT NINE CASEWORKERS, HE ADDED.
OPERATING PILING, DRILLING MACHINES OUTSIDE PERMITTED HOURS RARE
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THE OFFENCE OF OPERATING PILING AND DRILLING MACHINES OUTSIDE PERMITTED HOURS HAS RARELY, IF EVER, BEEN COMMITTED IN RECENT YEARS, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. ANDREW SO, MR. JONES SAID COMPLAINTS AGAINST CONSTRUCTION NOISE WERE OVERWHELMINGLY RELATED TO NOISE DURING PERMITTED HOURS.
MR. JONES ADDED THAT AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE TO EXTEND THE HOURS DURING WHICH PILING OPERATIONS ARE BANNED, FROM BETWEEN 8 P.M. AND 6 A.M. AT PRESENT, TO BETWEEN 7 P.M. AND 7 A.M. AND +TO APPLY THE BAN TO ALL CONSTRUCTION MACHINES OF HIGHER THAN ONE HORSE-POWER.+
/+. LEEDED