WORNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1985
MR LIAO SAID THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT HAVE PLANS TO INTRODUCE A STANDARD DEED OF MUTUAL COVENANT. THIS IS BECAUSE A STANDARDISED DEED WILL NOT BE SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE TO CATER FOR THE MANY AND VARIED CIRCUMSTANCES FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF BUILDING DEVELOPMENT.+
MR LIAO ADDED THAT THE DEEDS OF MUTUAL COVENANT WERE PREPARED IN ENGLISH AT PRESENT. WHEN CHINESE VERSIONS WERE AVAILABLE, THERE SHOULD BE NO DIFFICULTY IN INCLUDING THE STANDARD CLAUSES IN CHINESE, HE SAID,
FIRE OFFICERS TRAINED TO DETECT ARSON *****
THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT WAS OPERATING TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR FIRE OFFICERS ON HOW TO DETECT EVIDENCE OF ARSON AND THE PROGRAMME WAS STRENGTHENED IN 1983 WHEN COURSES CONDUCTED BY AN ARSON INVESTIGATION SPECIALIST FOR SELECTED OFFICERS WERE INTRODUCED.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS. WHEN REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI ON GOVERNMENT'S MEASURES AGAINST ARSON,
SO FAR, MR THOMAS ADDED, 150 FIRE OFFICERS HAD UNDERGONE THIS SPECIALIST TRAINING.
MR THOMAS SAID FIRE SERVICES PERSONNEL FIGHTING FIRES WERE UNDER INSTRUCTIONS TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRES.
HE SAID THAT IF, AS A RESULT OF THEIR INVESTIGATIONS, THE DEPARTMENT HAD ANY SUSPICION THE FIRE HAD BEEN CAUSED BY ARSON, THE CASE WAS PASSED TO THE POLICE FOR INVESTIGATION.
+ IN THEIR INVESTIGATIONS, THE POLICE ARE BACKED BY THE FIRE INVESTIGATION ORDINANCE WHICH EMPOWERS THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE TO TAKE POSSESSION OF ANY PREMISES ON WHICH A FIRE HAS TAKEN PLACE OR WHERE AN ATTEMPT IS SUSPECTED,+ SAID MR THOMAS.
+WHERE POSSESSION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE COMMISSIONER OF ANY PREMISES, THE COMMISSIONER IS REQUIRED TO MAKE A REPORT TO A MAGISTRATE AS TO THE ORIGIN AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE FIRE.+
ON RECEIPT OF THE REPORT THE MAGISTRATE MUST INVESTIGATE THE CAUSES OF THE FIRE, UNLESS HE CONSIDERED AN INQUIRY UNNECESSARY.
+ THE FACT