XN000022-1974-12-08 — Page 2

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1974.

COMMENTING ON THE INITIAL ORDER FOR THE SUPPLY OF FURNITURE, MR. WALLACE KNIGHT, SUPERINTENDENT (INDUSTRY) OF THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT, SAID TODAY THAT IT MARKED THE ENCOURAGING START OF AN INCREASING UTILISATION OF PRISON INDUSTRIES FOR GOVERNMENT NEEDS.+

HE WELCOMED THE MOVE IN THAT IT WOULD INJECT A NEW ELEMENT OF SPECIALISATION AND PURPOSE IN THE PRISON WORKSHOPS AS FAR AS WOODWORK AND CARPENTRY WERE CONCERNED,

HOWEVER, TO ENSURE PROPER QUALITY OF OUTPUT AND CONTROL, HE ADDED, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO BUILD UP THE MANAGEMENT, SUPERVISORY AND INSTRUCTING FORCE TO KEEP ABREAST OF ORDERS PLACED AND TO ENSURE INCREASE IN OUTPUT.

REFERRING TO THE PROVISION OF CRAFTSMANSHIP TRAINING IN

HONG KONG'S PENAL INSTITUTIONS, MR. KNIGHT SAID: THE CARDINAL AIM OF THE PRISON INDUSTRY HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO ENSURE THAT INMATES ARE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED DURING THEIR TERM OF SENTENCE AND TO ENABLE THEM TO ACQUIRE SKILLS WHICH WILL STAND THEM IN GOOD STEAD IN THE EMPLOYMENT MARKET UPON THEIR RELEASE.+

HE ADDED THAT SOME 3,500 INMATES WERE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED IN INDUSTRIAL WORK AND OBTAINING SOME TRAINING IN PRISON WORKSHOPS.

AT PRESENT, PRISON INDUSTRIES PRODUCE MOST TRAFFIC SIGNS AND FLAGS AS WELL AS A SIZABLE PROPORTION OF UNIFORMS AND SHOES FOR GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

LAST YEAR, GOODS VALUED AT $8.5 MILLION AT THE MARKET PRICE WERE TURNED OUT BY THE PRISON WORKSHOPS AT A COST OF ONLY $3 MILLION TO GOVERNMENT.

MEANWHILE, PLANS ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION TO STREAMLINE AND EXPAND THE EXISTING MANUFACTURING AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING FACILITIES IN HONG KONG'S PENAL INSTITUTIONS.

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