XN000022-1981-05-30 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1981

IN AUSTRALIA, SEVERAL EXPERTS ON ROAD TRAFFIC PROBLEMS WERE ASKED BY THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TO CONDUCT A SURVEY ON THE USEFULNESS OF SEAT-BELTS. ONE OF THESE EXPERTS, MR ERIC MONTGOMERY, DIRECTOR OF GOULBURN VALLEY DRIVER TRAINING COMPLEX SAID, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO START DEVELOPING THE CORRECT APPROACH (USING SEAT- BELTS) AT THE AGE OF 18. IT IS NECESSARY TO START AT THE TIME WHEN THE CHILD CAN FIRST USE A SEAT-BELT, AND MUST BE DEVELOPED THROUGH THE YEARS. AN INTEGRATED EDUCATIONAL PROCESS WHICH MUST BE CARRIED ON.+

IN RECENT YEARS, PRE-DRIVER EDUCATION HAS BEEN APPROVED AS AN EXTRA CURRICULUM SUBJECT UNDER THE CONTROL OF SCHOOL TEACHERS. A SPECIAL TEACHER TRAINING COURSE ON ROAD SAFETY/DRIVING HAS BEEN STARTED AT THE GOULBURN VALLEY DRIVER TRAINING COMPLEX AT SHEPPERTON, AUSTRALIA.

IN NEW ZEALAND, PROVIDED THAT A CAR IS FITTED WITH SEAT-BELTS, LEGISLATION HAS MADE IT MANDATORY THAT CHILDREN EIGHT YEARS OF AGE AND OVER, MUST WEAR THEM.

HOWEVER, A RECENT SURVEY CONDUCTED IN AUCKLAND'S VEHICLE TESTING STATIONS REVEALED THAT 71 PER CENT OF CHILDREN EIGHT YEARS AND UNDER, USUALLY TRAVELLED IN A CAR WITHOUT ANY FORM OF RESTRA IN ING DEVICE.

DURING A COLLISION OR A SIMPLE ABRUPT STOP, A CHILD COULD BE HELPLESSLY THROWN FORWARD AGAINST THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR, THE WINDSCREEN, DASH BOARD OR EVEN THE STEERING WHEEL. IN THIS EVENT, A CHILD'S HEAD IS MOST VULNERABLE.

IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT, APPROXIMATELY 60 PER CENT OF ROAD ACCIDENT INJURIES ARE TO THE HEAD AND 65 PER CENT OF FATALITIES RESULTING FROM ROAD ACCIDENTS, ARE DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO HEAD INJURIES, SEVERE DISABILITY OFTEN FOLLOWS THE HIGH INCIDENT RATE OF BRAIN DAMAGE WHICH CAN BE THE OUTCOME OF SUCH HEAD INJURIES.

PRISON SERVICE HAS WELL-DESERVED REPUTATION

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THE HONG KONG PRISON SERVICE HAS A WELL-DESERVED REPUTATION BOTH HERE AND ABROAD FOR COMPASSION, FAIRNESS AND RELIABILITY, THE CHIEF JUSTICE, SIR DENYS ROBERTS, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE PASSING-OUT PARADE OF RECRUIT PRISON OFFICERS AT THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT'S STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE IN STANLEY, THE RECRUITS COMPRISING SEVEN OFFICERS AND 123 ASSISTANT OFFICERS HAVE RECENTLY COMPLETED SIX-MONTH BASIC TRAINING IN THE INSTITUTE.

SIR DENYS TOLD THE RECRUITS THAT THEY HAD SELECTED A CAREER WHICH WAS ESSENTIAL TO THE WELL-BEING OF SOCIETY AND WHICH SHOULD BRING THEM THE DEGREE OF PERSONAL SATISFACTION WHICH CAME FROM DOING WELL WORK WHICH WAS DIFFICULT AND DEMANDING.

HE SAID CONTROLLING PRISONERS REQUIRED A VARIETY OF ATTRIBUTES WHICH INCLUDED INTEGRITY, INEXHAUSTIBLE PATIENCE AND CHARITY.

/HE ALSO