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WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1977
TRANSFER OF LICENSING POWERS
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THE AUTHORITY FOR ISSUING LOTTERY AND TOMBOLA LICENCES, AMUSEMENT WITH PRIZES LICENCES, AND MAHJONG AND TIN KAU LICENCES WILL BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE TO THE COMMISSIONER FOR TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING SO THAT THE POLICE FORCE COULD DEVOTE MORE RESOURCES TO FIGHT AGAINST CRIME.
IN MOVING A RESOLUTION TO EFFECT THIS TRANSFER IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY. THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON. F.K. LI, SAID THAT THE RESOLUTION ALSO SEEKS TO AMEND THE GAMBLING ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS.
MR. LI POINTED OUT THAT THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE HAS HISTORICALLY INHERITED A NUMBER OF LICENSING FUNCTIONS WHICH ARE NON-CONSTABULARY IN NATURE.
+THE PRESENT POLICY IS TO TRANSFER THESE FUNCTIONS TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS SO THAT THE POLICE FORCE CAN DEVOTE MORE RESOURCES TO FIGHT AGAINST CRIME,+ HE SAID.
+A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS HAVE ALREADY ACCEPTED SOME OF THE LICENSING FUNCTIONS AND THE PROPOSED TRANSFERS UNDER THIS RESOLUTION ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRESENT POLICY, HE ADDED.
MR. LI STRESSED THAT THIS WILL NOT RESULT IN ANY CHANGE IN THE EXISTING LICENSING POLICY RELATED TO GAMBLING, WHICH WILL STILL BE CONTROLLED BY THE RELEVANT POLICY BRANCHÉS IN THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT.
+FURTHERMORE, THE POLICE WILL CONTINUE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE CONDITIONS SPECIFIED IN THE LICENCES AND TO COMBAT ILLEGAL GAMBLING,+ HE SAID.
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HUNDREDS ENQUIRE ABOUT HOUSING EACH DAY
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THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT RECEIVED EACH DAY BETWEEN 500 AND 700 ENQUIRIES ABOUT APPLICATIONS - OVER HALF OF THESE WERE IN WRITING, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON, ALAN SCOTT SAID
IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
WRITTEN ENQUIRIES WERE ANSWERED IN WRITING WITHIN ONE WEEK, OR AT MOST TWO WEEKS, HE ADDED IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. LEUNG TAT-SHING.
MR. SCOTT POINTED OUT THAT APPLICANTS WERE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO VISIT OR TO TELEPHONE THE APPLICATIONS SECTION OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, AS +PERSONAL CONTACT IS MORE USEFUL THAN CORRESPONDENCE,+
BECAUSE OF THE CONSIDERABLE VOLUME OF ENQUIRIES, AND THAT CORRESPONDENTS DID NOT ALWAYS GIVE FULL OR ACCURATE RETURN ADDRESS, WRITTEN REPLIES MIGHT ON OCCASION BE SOMEWHAT DELAYED, MR. SCOTT SAID.
IT WAS HOWEVER CONSIDERED THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS GENERALLY WORK WELL, HE ADDED.
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