XN000022-1976-01-21 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1976

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MAC'S MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOUNG OFFENDERS

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THERE MAY BE OCCASIONS WHEN MEMBERS OF A MUTUAL AID COMMITTEE COULD ASSIST AND ADVISE A YOUNG DISCHARGED PRISONER LIVING IN THE SAME BUILDING WHO IS ANXIOUS TO MAKE A FRESH START. THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON. DENIS BRAY, SAID TODAY.

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HE WAS REPLYING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN WHO HAD PROPOSED FOR CONSIDERATION THE USE OF MAC'S. IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE DISCHARGED PRISONERS AID SOCIETY, TO HELP YOUNG OFFENDERS.

MR. BRAY SIAD THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA AND WAS SOMETHING THE BETTER MAC'S HE KNEW OF COULD DO WELL.

+INDEED, IT IS CLEARLY IN THE MAC'S OWN INTEREST TO DO SO AS THEY ARE SO MUCH CONCERNED WITH PERSONAL SECURITY, HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT HOWEVER THAT TWO POINTS HAD TO BE MADE THE INITIATIVE TO SEEK ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE SHOULD COME FROM THE EX-PRISONER HIMSELF AND THE MAC MUST COMPLEMENT, NOT REPLACE, THE EXCELLENT WORK OF THE SOCIETY.

HE SAID HE WOULD BE HAPPY TO ENSURE THAT THE SOCIETY WAS FULLY AWARE OF THE EXISTENCE AND ROLE OF THE MAC'S AND IT APPRECIATED THAT IT MIGHT SEEK THEIR ASSISTANCE WHEREVER APPROPRIATE.

IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION BY THE HON. Q.W. LEE ON HELP GIVEN TO MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES TO, COLLECT FEES, MR. BRAY SAID THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT HAD SOME 113 COMMUNITY ORGANISERS APPOINTED SPECIFICALLY TO ASSIST THE COMMITTEES IN THEIR WORK.

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+HELPING MAC'S IN THE COLLECTION OF MAINTENANCE FEES -- USUALLY BY PERSUASION AND MEDIATION - IS A NORMAL PART OF THIS ASSISTANCE AND HELPS TO BRING ABOUT A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE MAC'S AND THE OCCUPIERS,+ HE SAID.

MR. BRAY ADDED THAT THE SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL, WHEN SET UP, WOULD SIMPLIFY THE PROCEDURE FOR CIVIL ACTION TO COLLECT OUTSTANDING FEES ALTHOUGH IT WOULD NOT IN ITSELF ENSURE THAT THERE WOULD BE NO MORE PROBLEMS AS IT DID NOT ALTER THE FUNDAMENTAL LAW RELATING TO CONTRACT AND TORT NOR CREATE ANY NEW RIGHTS FOR MAC'S.

THE TRIBUNAL WOULD PROBABLY BE OF MORE HELP TO THOSE MULTI-STOREY MANAGEMENT ORGANISATIONS WHICH HAD FORMED THEMSELVES INTO OWNERS CORPORATIONS THAN TO MAC'S, HE SAID.

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