XN000022-1979-06-20 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1979

MR. DAVIES SAID: THERE IS A NEED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETERRENT POWERS TO DISCOURAGE SIMILAR VESSELS ARRIVING IN THE FUTURE AND CLAUSE 4 OF THE BILL PROVIDES FOR THE FORFEITURE OF ANY VESSEL, REGARDLESS OF SIZE (AND NOT ONE OF UP TO 250 GROSS TONS), CARRYING PERSONS WHO ARE SEEKING TO LAND UNLAWFULLY IN HONG KONG.

IN ADDITION, OFFICERS IN COMMAND OF HER MAJESTY'S WARSHIPS DO NOT HAVE POWER TO BOARD, SEARCH AND, IF NECESSARY, DETAIN A VESSEL OF MORE THAN 500 GROSS TONS IN HONG KONG WATERS, AND THE OFFICERS OF HM AUXILIARY SHIPS HAVE NO POWERS OF THIS SORT.

+ IN CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES THIS IS OBVIOUSLY UNDESIRABLE AND CLAUSE 7 PROVIDES THE NECESSARY POWERS,+ MR. DAVIES SAID.

IN EXPRESSING THE SUPPORT OF THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS FOR THE MEASURES PROPOSED IN THE BILL, THE HON. R.H. LOBO SAID IT WAS NOTED SOME MEASURES WERE SPECIAL POWERS TO MEET THE CURRENT EMERGENCY ALONG OUR SEA AND LAND BORDERS.

+1 WOULD LIKE THEREFORE TO ASK FOR AN ASSURANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A REVIEW IN DUE COURSE TO DECIDE WHETHER SUCH POWERS SHOULD BE REPEALED OR RETAINED AS A PERMANENT FEATURE OF OUR LAWS,+ HE ADDED.

IN REPLY, MR. DAVIES SAID SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS IN THE BILL, ESPECIALLY THE ONE ON AIDERS AND ABETTERS, ARE PERMANENT REQUIREMENTS AND MUST BE REGARDED AS SUCH.

+FOR THE REMAINDER GLADLY GIVE THE ASSURANCE SOUGHT,+ HE ADDED.

NO NEED FOR MORE MANDATORY ENERGY SAVING MEASURES

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THE GOVERNMENT IS STILL HOPING THAT WITH GREATER VOLUNTARY EFFORT BY THE PUBLIC THERE WILL BE NO NEED FOR IT TO INTRODUCE FURTHER MANDATORY ENERGY SAVING MEASURES, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS TOLD TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON. DAVID JEAFFRESON SAID THE GOVERNMENT EXPECTED THE SUPPLY POSITION IN THE THIRD QUARTER THIS YEAR TO BE MORE TIGHT THAN IT HAD BEEN IN THE SECOND.

+TO SURVIVE THE NEXT QUARTER, WE MUST GET OUR SAVINGS IN CONSUMPTION OF ELECTRICITY AND THUS OF FUEL OIL ABOVE THE FIVE PER CENT TARGET WE HAD SET OURSELVES IN LINE WITH THOSE ADOPTED ELSEWHERE,+ MR. JEAFFRESON SAID.

+THIS WILL NOT BE DIFFICULT WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE APPLICATION, HE ADDED.

/KA. JEAFTRESON