XN000022-1977-05-18 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1977

WEATHER BROADCASTING SERVICE

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THE DIRECTOR OF ROYAL CBSERVATORY WILL BE CONDUCTING TEST BROADCASTS TO DETERMINE THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF A SEPARATE AND CONTINUOUS BROADCAST OF TIME SIGNALS AND WEATHER INFORMATION AIMED AT INTRODUCING AN EXPERIMENTAL WEATHER BROADCASTING SERVICE LATER THIS YEAR.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON. F.K. LI, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. OSWALD CHEUNG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MR. CHEUNG HAD ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER ESTABLISHING A CONTINUOUS SERVICE BROADCASTING ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS, AS WELL AS LANDSLIDES, FIRES AND OTHER ACTUAL OR IMPENDING DANGERS, ROAD CONDITIONS AND OTHER INFORMATION OF WHICH TIMELY DISSEMINATION IS ESSENTIAL.

MR. LI SAID IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO SAY NOW WHETHER THIS SERVICE SHOULD BECOME PERMANENT OR COVER THE SCOPE ENVISAGED BY MR. CHEUNG UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT HAD HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS WHETHER THIS EXPERIMENTAL SERVICE WOULD ATTRACT SIGNIFICANT AUDIENCES AND WHETHER IT MIGHT DUPLICATE SOME OF THE SERVICES NOW PROVIDED BY RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG.

CRIME IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED *****

ACTION BY THE POLICE AND BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAS RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF CRIME COMMITTED R HOUSING ESTATES AND PLAYGROUNDS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES, SAID TODAY.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. KC SIJ-WAH IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID THE NUMBER OF CRIMES REPORTED IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR WAS 2,350 COMPARED WITH A QUARTERLY AVERAGE OF 3,190 FOR 1976, A 26 PER CENT DROP.

HE ATTRIBUTED THIS IMPROVEMENT TO THE PROVISION OF 20 NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING UNITS AND 33 REPORTING CENTRES IN ESTATES,

MR. DAVIES ADMITTED, HOWEVER, THAT CRIME IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES AND PLAYGROUNDS IN THOSE AREAS HAD NOT BEEN SUFFICIENTLY CONTAINED.

+CRIME WILL ONLY BE CONSIDERED TO BE SUFFICIENTLY CONTA INED IN AN AREA WHEN IT HAS BEEN ERADICATED, HE ADDED.

REPLYING TO ANOTHER QUESTION ABCUT FURTHER STRENGTHENING. THE POLICE PRESENCE IN HOUSING ESTATES, MR. DAVIES REITERATED THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO CONCENTRATE OUR EFFORTS ON THE AREAS OF GREATEST NEED.+