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FRIDAY, MAY 2, 1986
HE NOTED THAT HONG KONG'S TRADE WITH JAPAN WAS VERY IMPORTANT AND +! ALWAYS LIKE TO SEE THINGS FOR MYSELF. I WILL ALSO TELL PEOPLE THAT HONG KONG IS GETTING ALONG REALLY QUITE WELL,+
SIR EDWARD SAID HE WOULD CALL ON SOME JAPANESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND EXCHANGE VIEWS WITH THEM.
+ I KNOW WE WOULD ALL LIKE TO SEE AN INCREASE IN HONG KONG'S EXPORTS TO JAPAN,+ HE SAID.
ON THE QUESTION OF AUSTRALASIAN LAWYERS, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WAS LISTENING VERY CAREFULLY TO THIS DEBATE BETWEEN THE LAWYERS. HE HAD HEARD CAREFULLY WHAT THE BAR ASSOCIATION HAD SAID WHEN THEY WERE IN UMELCO, AND ALSO WHAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAD SAID YESTERDAY WHEN HE MADE SOME IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC INTEREST.
SIR EDWARD SAID HE WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT UMELCO'S RECOMMENDATIONS WERE BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE HEARD BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT.
+! AM SURE THEY WILL COME TO SOME REASONABLE CONCLUSIONS.+
CS: MORE POWERS NEEDED TO FIGHT TRIADS
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THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, TODAY (FRIDAY) HELD AN INFORMAL MEETING WITH THE CHAIRMEN OF THE 19 DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEES TO EXCHANGE VIEWS ON THE RECENTLY RELEASED DISCUSSION PAPER ON OPTIONS TO COUNTER THE TRIAD PROBLEM.
SIR DAVID SAID THAT WHILE SOME OF THE OPTIONS IN THE DISCUSSION PAPER DID CARRY WITH THEM SOME RESTRICTIONS ON CIVIL LIBERTY THE GOVERNMENT NEEDED TO HAVE MORE POWERS IF INROADS INTO TRIADS AND ORGANISED CRIME WERE TO BE MADE.
+WHAT WE NEED IS A COMMUNITY VIEW OF WHETHER SOME CURTAILMENTS IN FREEDOM ARE A PRICE WORTH PAYING TO TRY AND ERADICATE THIS EVIL FROM OUR SOCIETY, HE SAID.
THE COMMITTEES MIGHT HAVE THEIR OWN IDEAS ON HOW TO ELIMINATE TRIADS AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE PLEASED TO RECEIVE SUGGESTIONS, HE SAID.
SIR DAVID, WHO IS ALSO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE, NOTED THAT THERE HAD BEEN MUCH ADVERSE COMMENT ON THE OPTION THAT THERE COULD BE MORE LEGAL GAMBLING. HE SAID THAT IN VIEW OF THE CLEAR PUBLIC CONCERN HE DID NOT THINK THIS OPTION WOULD BE TAKEN FURTHER,
/HE TOLD ..............