FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1981
GOODS SMUGGLERS WILL BE PENALISED
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, DISCLOSED TODAY THAT ILLICIT TRADERS WHO PROFIT IN TWO-WAY SMUGGLING OF GOODS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA WOULD BE PENALISED.
+OUR LEGISLATION HAS BEEN EXAMINED TO SEE HOW MOST EFFECTIVELY WE CAN PREVENT THESE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING FOR EXAMPLE CONFISCATION OF THE SMUGGLED GOODS, AND IN SERIOUS CASES, CONFISCATION OF VESSELS OR CANCELLATION OF THE LICENCES OF THE IR MASTERS.
THE LEGISLATION PROVIDES FOR IMPRISONMENT AS WELL AS FINES SO IT COULD INVOLVE THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT, SIR MURRAY SAID IN A SPEECH GIVEN AT THE ANNUAL PARADE OF THE DEPARTMENT AT ITS STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE IN STANLEY.
HE SAID THE SUDDEN INCREASE IN TWO-WAY SMUGGLING, MOSTLY BY BOAT, +COULD SPAWN OUT INTO OTHER CRIMES AND IT COULD CAUSE FRICTION WITH OUR NEIGHBOUR+.
+THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AND OURSELVES TAKE AN EQUALLY SERIOUS VIEW OF THIS FURTHER MANIFESTATION OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY ACROSS THE FRONTIER, HE STRESSED.
IN HIS SPEECH THE GOVERNOR PRAISED THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT FOR ITS CONTINUING EFFORTS TO FOSTER LOCAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE WELFARE AND REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS.
HE SAID THERE WERE NOW 16 PRISON CHAPLAINS AND OVER 90 MEMBERS OF RELIGIOUS AND VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS WHO HAD BEEN APPOINTED AS PRISON VISITORS.
+1 AM GRATEFUL FOR WHAT THEY DO, AS I AM TO JUSTICES OF PEACE WHO LAST YEAR MADE AN AVERAGE OF ALMOST ONE VISIT A DAY TO THE DEPARTMENT,+ HE SAID.
SIR MURRAY ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE SUCCESS OF THE DETENTION CENTRE PROGRAMME FOR YOUNG AND YOUNG ADULT OFFENDERS HAD CONTINUED AND HAD ATTRACTED GREAT INTEREST ABROAD.
HE TOLD THE PRISONS STAFF: +LARGE NUMBERS OF PRISON ADMINISTRATORS AND OTHERS FROM OVERSEAS VISIT YOUR INSTITUTIONS EACH YEAR. MANY HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS OR PUBLISHED ARTICLES FULL OF PRAISE. IT IS WELL DESERVED.+
ACCOMPANIED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS, MR THOMAS GARNER, SIR MURRAY INSPECTED THE PARADE FORMED BY 205 PRISON OFFICERS FROM VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS.
HE ALSO PRESENTED COLONIAL PRISON SERVICE MEDALS TO
29 OFFICERS WHO HAVE HAD 18 YEARS' EXEMPLARY SERVICE.
THE BAND, PIPES AND DRUMS OF CAPE COLLINSON CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION PROVIDED MUSIC THROUGHOUT THE EVENT. THE GIRLS MARCHING TEAM OF TAI TAM GAP CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION ALSO GAVE A PERFORMANCE.
THE FOLLOWING