XN000022-1980-10-01 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1980

13

EXACTLY HOW MUCH MORE WOULD EMERGE FROM THE COMING NEGOTIATIONS, SIR MURRAY CONTINUED.

HE SAID THE PRESENT HIGH LEVEL OF ANTI-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OPERATIONS WOULD HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED INDEFINITELY AND THAT IT HAD BECOME APPARENT THE REDUCTION OF THE GARRISON IN 1976 FROM 6-2/3 TO 4-1/3 MAJOR UNITS HAD BEEN PROBABLY EXCESSIVE.

+DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE WERE THEREFORE BEGUN IN MARCH WITH A VIEW TO ADDING A FIFTH BATTALION TO THE PERMANENT STRENGTH OF THE GARRISON PROVIDED WE AND HMG COULD AFFORD THE ADDITIONAL COST, THE GOVERNOR EXPLAINED.

HE SAID THIS LED TO A RECALCULATION BY THE MINISTRY AND OUR OWN SECURITY AND FINANCE BRANCHES OF WHAT THE COST OF THE GARRISON REALLY WAS, WITH A VIEW TO AGREEING A NEW DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT.

ASSUMING THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE SUCCESSFUL AND IT WAS AGREED A NEW BATTALION SHOULD BE ADDED, THE GOVERNOR SAID IT WOULD BECOME OPERATIONAL IN EARLY 1982 AND, IN THE MEANTIME, REINFORCEMENT WOULD CONTINUE AT A LEVEL NECESSARY TO GUARD OUR LAND AND SEA BORDERS.

PUBLIC ASSIST IN CRIMINAL ARRESTS

*****

PUBLIC CO-OPERATION HAS RESULTED IN MORE CRIMINALS BEING ARRESTED BY THE PUBLIC, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON.

SIR MURRAY, SPEAKING ON THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE AT THE OPENING SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, ATTRIBUTED THIS TO MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES AND IMPROVED CIVIC MINDEDNESS.

HE SAID THE PROPORTION OF ARRESTS MADE BY THE PUBLIC ROSE FROM EIGHT PER CENT IN 1978 TO 10 PER CENT IN 1979 AND 12 PER CENT SO FAR THIS YEAR.

+THIS IS A REMARKABLE AND HIGHLY SATISFACTORY TREND, AND IS AN INDICATION OF THE STEADILY IMPROVING WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLICE AND PUBLIC, THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT.

BUT THE NUMBER OF CRIMES COMMITTED BY JUVENILES BETWEEN SEVEN AND 15 YEARS OF AGE HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY, HE SAID.

BEFORE THE FIGHT CRIME CAMPAIGN, HE SAID, IT WAS NORMAL FOR 10 PER CENT OF CRIMES TO BE COMMITTED BY JUVENILES IN THIS AGE BRACKET. BY 1975 THIS PERCENTAGE HAD DROPPED TO SEVEN PER CENT.

+THIS REMAINED AT ABOUT THIS FIGURE UNTIL 1979 WHEN IT ROSE SUDDENLY TO 11 PER CENT AND IT LOOKS LIKE RISING TO 16 PER CENT THIS YEAR. THIS REVERSAL IN A TREND IN WHICH WE WERE HAVING SUCH OBVIOUS SUCCESS IS BOTH DISTURBING AND BEWILDERING,+ SIR MURRAY SAID.

/HE SAID