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THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 1983
+BUT I DON'T THINK THE CITIZENS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES HAVE THAT MUCH CAUSE FOR WORRY, HE SAID, ADDING THAT THE NT RATIO WAS STILL HIGHER THAN THAT IN KOWLOON.
A MUCH MORE IMPORTANT MEASURE, HE SAID, WAS THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE FORCE IN TERMS OF CRIMES COMMITTED.
+AGAIN I WOULD SLEEP MUCH MORE EASILY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES THAT I WOULD IN KOWLOON.
+AND THE FACT THAT THE DEPLOYMENT FOR HONG KONG ISLAND IN THESE TERMS IS MARGINALLY MORE FAVOURABLE THAN THAT FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES SIMPLY REFLECTS THE CONCENTRATION OF COMMERCIAL AND BANKING ACTIVITY AND ACTIVITIES INVOLVING CROWD CONTROL ON THE ISLAND, HE EXPLAINED.
AS FOR THE FUTURE, MR JEAFFRESON ASSURED DR HO THAT PLANS WERE UNDER CONSTANT DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE POLICE FORCE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WAS ADEQUATE IN SIZE AND ORGANISATION TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE GROWING POPULATION THERE.
+AS FOR KOWLOON, BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF ITS POPULATION AND THE HEAVY INCIDENCE OF CRIME, OUR PLANS ARE TO DIVIDE IT INTO TWO REGIONS AND TO STRENGTHEN THE POLICE PRESENCE THERE AS SOON AS WE CAN,+ HE SAID.
REFERRING TO REV THE HON JOYCE BENNETT'S REMARK ABOUT THE OVERLAP OF RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, THE SOCIAL WELFARE AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, MR JEAFFRESOŃ SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD GIVEN A LOT OF THOUGHT+ TO MISS BENNETT'S IDEA OF TIDYING IT UP.
HE CONCEDED THAT THE POSITION WAS CERTAINLY UNTIDY.
THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS A VARIETY OF FACILITIES CATERING FOR OFFENDERS BETWEEN THE AGES OF SEVEN AND 21, WHILE THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER FACILITIES FOR OFFENDERS AT THE AGES OF 14 AND OVER.
+BUT WE CONCLUDED THAT THERE WERE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PRACTICAL ADVANTAGES IN RETAINING THE OVERLAP BETWEEN THE TWO DEPARTMENTS.
+ IT GIVES MORE VARIED SCOPE FOR PARTICULAR TREATMENT TO SUIT PARTICULAR OFFENDERS, WITH A VIEW TO WEANING THEM AWAY FROM CRIME ALTOGETHER,+ MR JEAFFRESON EXPLAINED.
BUDGET DEBATE ADJOURNED ***
THE TWO-DAY, THIRD BUDGET SITTING AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ADJOURNED TODAY, AFTER THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON JOHN BREMRIDGE, DELIVERED THE SPEECH CONCLUDING THE DEBATE ON THE SECOND READING OF THE APPROPRIATION BILL, 1983.
THE OMMITTEE STAGE AND THIRD READING OF THE BILL WILL BE HELD AT THE FOURTH BUDGET SITTING ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27.
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