WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1936
COMMUNITY FACES CHOICE IN WAR ON TRIADS
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HONG KONG AS A COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER SOME RESTRICTIONS ON EXISTING FREEDOMS WERE A PRICE WORTH PAYING TOWARDS STRENGTHENING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LAW SO AS TO BETTER DEAL WITH THE INSIDIOUS THREAT OF TRIADS TO SOCIETY, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
TABLING THE DISCUSSION DOCUMENT OPTIONS FOR CHANGES IN THE LAW AND IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LAW TO COUNTER THE TRIAD PROBLEM,+ SIR DAVID SAID IT SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN THAT THESE RESTRICTIONS ON CIVIL LIBERTIES WOULD APPLY TO PEOPLE WHO HAD CHOSEN TO BULLY, EXTORT AND TO INTIMIDATE LAW-ABIDING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
→THE LAW-ABIDING HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR FROM THE LAW: LET THE CRIMINAL BEWARE, HE ADDED.
SIR DAVID SAID THERE WAS NO DOUBT ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF COMMUNITY CONCERN ABOUT TRIADS AND OTHER GANGS.
+AMONG THESE CONCERNS PERHAPS MOST WORRYING IS THE FEAR THAT PARENTS HAVE, IN SOME RESIDENTIAL AREAS, IN ALLOWING THEIR CHILDREN TO GO OUT TO PLAY WITHOUT SUPERVISION.
+ IN THESE PLACES, THREATS, ABUSE, INTIMIDATION AND DEMANDS FOR MONEY ARE ALL TOO FAMILIAR.+
THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID TRIADS WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN ORGANISED CRIME: IN BLACKMAIL: IN GAMBLING; IN PROSTITUTION; IN DRUG TRAFFICKING; AND IN CRIMINAL MONOPOL IES.
THEY INCLUDED GROUPS OF PETTY CRIMINALS WHO BULLIED AND INTIMIDATED LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS, HE ADDED.
WHILE THE DETAIL OF POLICE ORGANISATION AND OPERATIONS COULD NOT BE REVEALED, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, BUT OVER MANY YEARS THE POLICE HAVE MOUNTED A CONTINUING ATTACK AGAINST TRIADS.+
+AS A RESULT WE NOW HAVE MORE INTELLIGENCE ABOUT THEM, THE STRUCTURE OF THEIR ORGANISATION AND THEIR ACTIVITIES.
+BECAUSE OF THIS ACCUMULATED KNOWLEDGE THEY MAY HAVE LOST SOME OF THEIR SECRET AND HIDDEN MENACE BUT, LET US BE IN NO DOUBT, THEY ARE A PERVASIVE, CANCEROUS GROWTH IN OUR SOCIETY, + SIR DAVID STRESSED.
ELABORATING ON THIS POINT IN THE DOCUMENT, WHICH HAD BEEN PREPARED BY THE WORKING GROUP ON GANGS OF THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE, SIR DAVID SAID THERE WAS NO ONE PERSON OR GROUP OF PERSONS CONTROLLING ALL TRIAD SOCIETIES.
/SOME INDIVIDUAL