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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1984
* WHERE HE AGREES TO COOPERATE,
* IF HE IS RECOMMENDED BY A PROBATION OFFICER TO BE A SUITABLE PERSON TO UNDERTAKE COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND
* IF SUITABLE WORK IS AVAILABLE NEAR THE OFFENDER'S HOME
AND FAMILY.
MR THOMAS POINTED OUT THAT VIOLENT OFFENDERS, PSYCHOPATHS AND THE LIKE WOULD NOT IN GENERAL BE RECOMMENDED.
+THERE WILL BE POWER TO ENABLE COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS TO BE MADE ONLY BY THOSE COURTS WHICH HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE THAT FACILITIES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF SUCH ORDERS EXIST IN THE IR AREA. THIS WILL ENABLE THE SCHEME TO BE INTRODUCED IN HONG KONG GRADUALLY, HE SAID.
IT WAS INTENDED THAT THE PILOT SCHEME, LIMITED TO CERTAIN MAGISTRATES' COURTS, WOULD RUN FOR TWO YEARS AND WOULD BE MONITORED BY A STANDING COMMITTEE TO BE SET UP FOR THE PURPOSE, HE EXPLAINED.
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.
ACTION TAKEN OVER FIRE THREAT ****
THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAD SERVED A TOTAL OF 30 FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES ON PROPRIETORS OF VARIOUS FACTORIES IN THE BLUE BOX INDUSTRIAL BUILDING OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID JE AFFRESON TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
WHEN THE PROPRIETORS DID NOT REMOVE THE HAZARDS OR WHEN THEY PUT THEM BACK AGAIN, THE DEPARTMENT PROSECUTED THE OFFENDERS, HE SAID.
MR JEAFFRESON WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LYDIA DUNN AS TO WHETHER IT WAS TRUE THAT THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN ALERTED ABOUT FIRE HAZARDS AT THE BUILDING BY THE FIRE INSURANCE ASSOCIATION ONE YEAR BEFORE THE FIRE IN THAT BUILDING LAST MONTH, AND IF SO, WHAT PREVENTIVE MEASURES HAD BEEN TAKEN.
HE CONFIRMED THAT IN 1983 THE DEPARTMENT HAD RECEIVED A COMPLAINT FROM THE ASSOCIATION ABOUT A FIRE HAZARD IN THE BUILDING.
IT WAS A SPECIFIC COMPLAINT ABOUT AN OBSTRUCTION IN THE 13TH FLOOR LIFT LOBBY.
+ THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT DEALT WITH THE COMPLAINT PROMPTLY AND THE PROPRIETOR CLEARED THE OBSTRUCTION. NO LEGAL ACTION WAS REQUIRED, MR JEAFFRESON SAID.
THIS COMPLAINT, HE SAID, WAS ONLY ONE OF MANY GOING BACK SOME YEARS.
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