XN000022-1977-01-05 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1977

+WE CAN THEREFORE CLAIM THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND LABOUR IN HONG KONG IS, IN THE BROADEST TERMS, OF A VERY HIGH ORDER INDEED AND PROBABLY AMONG THE BEST IN THE WORLD.

+THE GOVERNMENT IS PERFECTLY WILLING TO CONCEDE THIS POSITION WHEN ADVERTISING HONG KONG'S ATTRACTIONS TO FOREIGN INVESTORS AND BUSINESS PEOPLE ABROAD. THE SAME CONCESSION SHOULD BE MADE WHEN DEALING WITH LABOUR AND OTHER SOCIAL LEGISLATION.+

CANING

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A USEFUL PUNISHMENT ******

THE LIST OF OFFENCES PUNISHABLE ON CONVICTION BY CANING IS ALREADY QUITE EXTENSIVE AND INCLUDES ROBBERY, POSSESSION OF WEAPONS, RAPE AND CERTAIN OTHER OFFENCES AGAINST FEMALES, THEFT AND WOUNDING.

THIS WAS STATED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THE HON, JOHN HOBLEY IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS FROM THE HON. WONG LAM.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE ATTITUDES OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE CHIEF JUSTICE TOWARD CANING AS A PUNISHMENT FOR YOUNG CRIMINALS WAS THAT IT WAS A USEFUL PUNISHMENT.

+ IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO SAY WHETHER THE CANING OF OFFENDERS HAS A GENERAL DETERRENT EFFECT ON OTHERS, AND THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF CANING IN THE CASE OF A PARTICULAR OFFENDER WHO IS SO PUNISHED CLEARLY DEPENDS ON HIS PERSONALITY, HE SAID.

IN THE CASE OF AN OFFENDER WHO WAS UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE, MR. HOBLEY CONTINUED, A COURT MIGHT ORDER CANING ON CONVICTION FOR ANY OF THE OFFENCES SPECIFIED IN THE SCHEDULE TO THE CORPORAL PUNISHMENT ORDINANCE — EITHER AS THE ONLY PUNISHMENT OR IN ADDITION TO SOME OTHER PUNISHMENT.

HE INDICATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO PLANS TO INCREASE THE ALREADY QUITE EXTENSIVE LIST OF OFFENCES FOR WHICH IT MAY BE EITHER THE ONLY OR AN ADDITIONAL PUNISHMENT.

IN ANSWER TO ANOTHER QUESTION FROM MR. WONG, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID THAT CANING HAD BEEN ORDERED 98 TIMĖS DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS ON YOUNG OFFENDERS AGED 16 AND BELOW.

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