XN000022-1973-10-17 — Page 82

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Wednesday, October 17, 1973

would be the case. The Secretary for Home Affairs, as Chairman of the

campaign Comittee, will be going into details later in the debate.

But I can say here and now that from the reports received from

a vory wide variety of sources, I believe we are getting to grips with

the problem. The methods chosen appear to have been ones the public

understand and appreciate, and they have secured the public's cooperation

and involvement on a scale and in a way that is quite now. Many people,

fræs all levels of society, have come forward to help, to organise and

to give a load in making their neighbourhood safer. With this civilian

endeavour and sustained police effort, public confidence and ease of

mind has improved. Crime was once regarded as a problem for the police

alone. It is now accepted as one for the community. There is a new and

healthier spirit, new determination, new hope.

So far so good. We should not be dismayed by the length of

the road that we still have to travel. We always knew it would be long and

hard. But we can take encouragement from having made a sound start.

Now everyone, Government, Police and public, must continue as they have

started, must not be deflected, and we will prevail.

I shall continue to take the closest possible personal interest

in this joint effort by police and public to reduce crime. Nothing touches

so intimately the ease of mind and happiness of our community.

The Есолощу

Finally a word about the state of our economy. It is on the

success of this that our future development depends. I have said in the

past that the aim of this Government was prosperity with social progress.

Social progress can only be based on prosperity. What then is the state

of our prosperity?

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