WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1981
28
PRISON RULES BEING REVIEWED
****
THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING AMENDING THE PRISON RULES TO BRING THEM IN LINE WITH MODERN PENAL PRACTICE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNOR SAID A BILL TO AMEND THE PRISONS ORDINANCE WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE COUNCIL DURING THE CURRENT SESSION.
SIR MURRAY NOTED THAT THE YEAR HAD NOT BEEN AN EASY ONE FOR THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT.
+ IN ADDITION TO WHAT MIGHT BE DESCRIBED AS EXTRA-CURRICULAR DUTIES CONNECTED WITH VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, THERE HAS BEEN A 3.4 PER CENT INCREASE IN THE PENAL POPULATION, THE TOTAL MUSTER NOW STANDING AT ABOUT 7 000.
+ THE PROBLEMS OF THESE INCREASED DEMANDS HAVE BEEN COMPOUNDED BY STAFF SHORTAGE WITH VACANCIES RUNNING AT 12 PER CENT IN THE OFFICER GRADES AND 15 PER CENT IN THE RANK AND FILE, HE SAID.
+NEVERTHELESS, HE ADDED, HIGH STANDARDS ARE BEING
MAINTAINED.+
IN DETENTION CENTRES, HE NOTED, 94.6 PER CENT OF INMATES HAVE NOT BEEN RECONVICTED IN THE 12 MONTHS FOLLOWING THEIR RELEASE.
+SIMILARLY THE EXTENSION IN MAY 1980 TO OTHER YOUNG OFFENDERS OF STATUTORY SUPERVISION FOR UP TO 12 MONTHS FOLLOWING DISCHARGE HAS PRODUCED MOST ENCOURAGING FIRST RESULTS ALTHOUGH IT IS TOO EARLY TO DRAW FIRM CONCLUSIONS.
+AT THE SAME TIME THE PRISONS INDUSTRIES HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CONTINUED TO EXPAND AND DIVERSIFY, THE GOVERNOR SAID.
LAW CHANGED TO REFLECT C AND W STATUS
AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, THE TELEPHONE (AMENDMENT) BILL 1981 PASSED THROUGH ALL THREE STAGES OF READING TO BECOME LAW.
MOVING THE BILL, MR D.G. JEAFFRESON, SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, SAID THE PURPOSE WAS TO REPLACE THE WORDS +CABLE AND WIRELESS LIMITED+, IN THE ORDINANCE WITH +CABLE AND WIRELESS (HONG KONG) LIMITED+, AS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS MONTH, TO REFLECT THE CHANGE IN STATUS OF THE COMPANY'S OPERATIONS.
+PREVIOUSLY, THE CABLE AND WIRELESS OFFICE HERE WAS A BRANCH OF A COMPANY INCORPORATED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. NOW ITS OPERATIONS HAVE BECOME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A LOCAL SUBSIDIARY INCORPORATED IN HONG KONG+, MR JEAFFRESON SAID.
+THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN FULLY CONSULTED ON THESE CHANGES AND HAS IN FACT TAKEN UP A TWENTY PER CENT SHAREHOLDING IN
THE NEW HONG KONG SUBSIDIARY TO PUT IT IN THE BEST POSSIBLE POSITION TO SAFEGUARD THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG'S TELECOMMUNICATIONS USERS
IN THE ABSENCE OF A SCHEME OF CONTROL.+
/29
Page 30Page 31
+