XN000022-1978-10-11 — Page 30

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EDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1978

BIG IMPROVEMENT IN PRISON CONDITIONS

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CONDITIONS IN PRISONS HAVE IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY FROM THE SERIOUS OVER-CROWD ING OF A FEW YEARS AGO, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+THE NUMBERS OF PRISONERS HAVE DROPPED, AND ACCOMMODATION HAS IMPROVED AS A RESULT OF SUBSTANTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION DURING THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.+

NEVERTHELESS, HE SAID, THE NUMBER OF LONG-TERM PRISONERS REQUIRING HIGH SECURITY IS INCREASING.

+A FURTHER HIGH SECURITY PRISON IS THEREFORE BEING BUILT AT SHEK PIK, FOR COMPLETION IN EARLY 1981, AND A FURTHER MEDIUM SECURITY PRISON TO REPLACE VICTORIA PRISON IS PLANNED FOR COMPLETION ABOUT 1984 ON HEI LING CHAU.

+ IT WILL THEN, AT LAST, BE POSSIBLE TO DEMOLISH THE CLD VICTORIA PRISON,+ HE ADDED.

SIR MURRAY SAID THE DRUG ADDICTION CENTRE ON HE! LING CHAU WAS ACHIEVING EXCELLENT RESULTS IN THE CURE OF CERTAIN TYPES OF ADDICTS, AND WOULD ACCOMMODATE 1,170.

+THIS IS EXPECTED TO RISE TO 1,440 EY 1980- 81 WHEN THE TOTAL TREATMENT ACCOMMODATION WILL REACH 2,250 PLACES WITH AN ANNUAL THROUGHPUT OF NEARLY 7,000, + HE ADDED.

LAWS TO CONTROL POLLUTION

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A SERIES OF ORDINANCES ILL BE DRAFTED TO BRING UNDER CONTROL THE VARIOUS FORMS OF POLLUTION TO WHICH HONG KONG IS EXPOSED, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID TODAY.

HE TOLD THE OPENING SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT STRONG TIDES AND WINDS HAVE SO FAR SAVED US FROM THE WORST EFFECTS OF POLLUTION, BUT THE SOONER A CORPUS OF LEGISLATION IS ON THE STATUTE BOOK THE BETTER.

+1 HOPE THAT IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE SOME PROGRESS DURING THIS SESSION, HE SAID.

SIR MURRAY ASSURED THE COUNCIL THAT THE APPROACH OF THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE CAREFUL AND REALISTIC.

SIR MURRAY PRAISED THE EXCELLENT PREPARATORY WORK OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMITTEE AND SAID HE WAS SURE THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION UNIT, UNDER ITS EXPERT ADVISER, HAD COME AS A RELIEF TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

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