XN000022-1977-06-10 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, JUNE 1C, 1977

MR. LAU SAID HONG KONG'S PRESENT WATER SUPPLY WAS HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON ADEQUATE RAINFALL DURING THE WET, SEASON BETWEEN MAY AND OCTOBER TO PROVIDE US WITH SUFFICIENT WATER SUPPLY FOR OUR DAILY NEEDS AND SURPLUS TO BE STORED IN THE RESERVOIRS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE FOLLOWING DRY SEASON.

+BUT AFTER SUCH A LONG DRY SPELL AS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED, QUITE A LARGE VOLUME OF STORAGE HAS BEEN CONSUMED.+-

AND THE RAIN SO FAR HAS BEEN INSUFFICIENT TO REPLENISH THE DEPLETED STORAGES, HE ADDED.

+WITH ONE QUARTER OF THE RAINY SEASON GONE, THE TOTAL STORAGE OF THE RESERVOIRS HAS REMAINED FAR BELOW THAT IN THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE RARE DROUGHT IN WINTER AND SPRING, AND THE SHORTAGE OF RAIN AT THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER,+

+ IN VIEW OF THE SITUATION, THE WATER SUPPLY DEPARTMENT HAD TO ACT CAREFULLY FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF A SUPPLY FOR THE PEOPLE.+

PROPOSED BILL AGAINST AIDING AND ABETTING OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

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A BILL WHICH AIMS TO EFFECTIVELY STOP THE AIDING AND ABETTING OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WAS PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY (FRIDAY).

AT PRESENT, PROSECUTIONS AGAINST AIDERS AND ABETTORS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE HAMPERED BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF PROVING TO A COURT THAT THE PERSON SO AIDED AND ABETTED IS AN ILLEGAL

IMMIGRANT.

J

UNDER THE PROPOSED IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1977, WHICH IS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHORTLY, A CERTIFICATE SIGNED BY THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION COULD BE INTRODUCED INTO ANY PROCEEDINGS FOR AN OFFENCE OF THIS NATURE TO ESTABLISH THAT THE PERSON AIDED AND A BETTED HAS NO RIGHT TO LAND IN HONG KONG.

COMMENTING ON THE BILL, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT SAID: +SECTION 64 OF THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE WHICH REQUIRES AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TO PROVE THAT HE HAS A STATUS TO WHICH ENTITLES HIM TO LAND IN HONG KONG WITHOUT PERMISSION CANNOT ASSIST IN THE CASE OF A PROSECUTION FOR AIDING, ABETTING, COUNSELLING OR PROCURING THE COMMISSION OF ANOTHER OF AN OFFENCE OF LANDING WITHOUT PERMISSION OR OF CONSPIRING TO AID, ABET, COUNSEL OR PROCURE THE COMMISSION OF ANOTHER OF SUCH AN OFFENCE.+

+ IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES THE ONUS MUST REST WITH THE CROWN TO PROVE THAT THE PERSON SO AIDED, ABETTED, COUNSELLED OR PROCURED

IS AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, HE ADDED.

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