XN000022-1978-04-13 — Page 17

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THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1978

ON THE SUBJECT OF DISPUTES IN THE CIVIL SERVICE, MR. ROWLANDS SAID HE BELIEVED HE SPOKE FOR VIRTUALLY THE WHOLE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE WHEN HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO DESIRE TO ENGAGE IN MILITANCY.

+NOR DO I BELIEVE THERE IS ANY GENERAL DISSATISFACTION THROUGHOUT THE SERVICE, THOUGH THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROBLEM AREAS AND THESE ARE RECEIVING MY CLOSE ATTENTION.+

HE SAID IF THERE WERE MORE GROUPS OF STAFF WHO FELT AGGRIEVED OVER ONE ISSUE OR ANOTHER, +WE MUST SEEK OUT THE CAUSES AND TAKE STEPS TO REMEDY THEM, FOR, AS A GENERAL RULE, HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS DO NOT COMPLAIN UNLESS THEY BELIEVE THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT.+

EXTENDING RELEASE UNDER SUPERVISION SCHEME

TO INCLUDE PRISONERS

****

THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY HE WAS IN FAVOUR OF EXTENDING EXISTING SCHEMES OF RELEASE UNDER SUPERVISION TO INCLUDE PRISONERS. HE SAID THIS HAD BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR SOME TIME.

ANSWERING POINTS RAISED BY THE HON. CHARLES YEUNG AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE, MR. DAVIES SAID RELEASE OF PRISONERS UNDER SUPERVISON WOULD BE TIMED TO TAKE EFFECT WHEN THE PRISONER'S RESPONSE TO HIS TREATMENT HAD REACHED THE HIGHEST POINT AND WHEN IN THEORY HIS RETURN TO SOCIETY UNDER SUPERVISION SHOULD THEREFORE ACHIEVE THE BEST RESULTS.

+BUT THERE ARE DIFFICULTIES, HE SAID. +IN ANY EXTENSION OF THE SCHEME IT MAY NOT BE EASY TO REASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT THE AUTHORITIES COULD KEEP IN SUFFICIENTLY CLOSE AND REGULAR TOUCH WITH THOSE RELEASED TO SEE THAT THE CONDITIONS OF RELEASE ARE IMPOSED EFFECTIVELY.

+SECONDLY, IT IS A MATTER OF JUDGMENT WHETHER A PRISONER HAS REACHED THE POINT OF MAXIMUM RESPONSE. THIS PLACES A GREAT BURDEN ON THE PAROLE BOARD.

/+THIRDLY,