XN000022-1977-01-29 — Page 6

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1977

SPEAKING AT THE SAME CEREMONY, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, SAID THAT THE AIM OF THE PROBATION AND CORRECTIONS SERVICE WAS TO HELP PROBATIONERS TO REFORM THEMSELVES AND THE METHODS USED WERE BASED ON SOCIAL WORK PRINCIPLES.

+SOCIAL WORKERS FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT BEHAVIOUR CAN BE CHANGED AND THAT DEFIANT BEHAVIOUR CAN BE MODIFIED IN A MILIEU CONDUCIVE TO REHABILITATION THROUGH TRAINING AND COUNSELLING,+ HE SAID.

+WITH HELP AND UPON ACQUIRING NECESSARY SOCIAL SKILLS, PROBATIONERS CAN REGAIN THEIR SELF-RESPECT, SO WILL THEY LEARN TO LIVE HARMONIOUSLY WITH OTHERS AND BECOME LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS.+

MR. LEE POINTED OUT THAT MANY PEOPLE MIGHT THINK PROBATION MEANS SETTING OFFENDERS FREE. THIS IS NOT TRUE.

+THIS IS NOT TRUE. IN FACT, THE COURT RETAINS THE POWER OF RECALLING PROBATIONERS BACK TO COURT, HE STRESSED.

+ IF A PROBATIONER MISBEHAVES OR FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE ADVICE OF THE PROBATION OFFICER DURING THE PERIOD, HE IS LIABLE TO BE SENTENCED FOR BREACH OF A PROBATION ORDER OR TO BE DEALT WITH FOR THE ORIGINAL OFFENCE.+

MR. LEE NOTED THAT THE EFFORTS OF THE PROBATION OFF ICERS ALONE WERE NOT ENOUGH. THE SUCCESS OF THIS TYPE OF WORK DEPENDS ON THE SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE PUBLIC, THUS ENSURING THAT PROBATIONERS THAT ARE DETERMINDED TO TURN OVER A NEW LEAF ARE NOT DESPISED OR REJECTED BY THE COMMUNITY.+

+WITHOUT SUCH ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC, PROBATIONERS CAN HARDLY REGAIN SELF-RESPECT AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY, HE ADDED.

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CONSULTATIONS ON TEXTILES AGREEMENTS BETWEEN CANADA AND HK

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THE TEXTILES SURVEILLANCE BODY HAS CONCLUDED ITS DELIBERATIONS ON THE REFERENCE MADE TO IT BY HONG KONG CONCERNING THE SUPERSESSION BY CANADA IN NOVEMBER 1976 OF BILATERAL TEXTILES AGREEMENTS BETWEEN CANADA AND HONG KONG.

THE TSB NOTED THAT THE AGREEMENTS CONTAINED PROVISIONS FOR CONSULTATIONS, SHOULD DIFFICULTIES ARISE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE AGREEMENTS. IT THEREFORE RECOMMENDED THAT THE TWO PARTIES SHOULD HOLD CONSULTATIONS WITH A VIEW TO REVOLVING ANY PROBLEMS THAT MAY HAVE ARISEN OR MIGHT ARISE, AND TO REPORT ON THOSE CONSULTATIONS TO THE TSB WITHIN THIRTY DAYS.+

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