XN000022-1982-01-20 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1982

NO ULTERIOR MOTIVE SEEN BEHIND SQUATTER FIRES

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY ULTERIOR MOTIVES BEHIND THE RECENT SPATE OF SQUATTER FIRES.

THIS WAS DISCLOSED BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY THE HON LEWIS DAVIES, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY WHEN HE ANSWERED A QUESTION RAISED BY THE HON ANDREW SO.

HE SAID THAT EVEN THOUGH THE NATURE OF THESE FIRES MADE INVESTIGATION DIFFICULT, A SPECIAL POLICE TEAM HAD BEEN DEPLOYED TO GATHER INTELLIGENCE ON THE CAUSES OF THE FIRES AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE FIRES WERE NOT ACCIDENTAL.

THE POLICE HAD LOOKED INTO NUMEROUS MOTIVES, INCLUDING SUGGESTIONS THAT CRIMINAL ELEMENTS BUILDING HUTS HAD CAUSED THEM TO BE BURNED DOWN, SO AS TO GET FURTHER PROFITS, AND THAT SQUATTERS BURNED THEIR OWN PREMISES TO SPEED UP THE IR APPLICATIONS FOR HOUSING.

+NUMEROUS FAMILIES HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWED BUT THESE MOTIVES WERE NOT SUGGESTED BY THEM AND IT APPEARS THAT REPORTS WERE PURELY SPECULATIVE, HE SAID.

A FURTHER RUMOURED POSSIBILITY WAS THAT SOME OF THE FIRES OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF A PERSON BEING BLACKMAILED AND HIS FAILURE TO YIELD TO THE THREAT TO SET FIRE TO A HUT.

HOWEVER, MR DAVIES SAID, NONE OF THOSE INTERVIEWED MADE SUCH A STATEMENT.

TWO CASES HAD BEEN CLASSIFIED AS ARSON ONE THE APPARENT RESULT OF A SUICIDE, AND THE OTHER OCCURRING ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE INVOLVING NO LOSS OF HUTS.

HE ADVISED PEOPLE LIVING IN SQUATTER AREAS TO BE CONSTANTLY ON THE ALERT TO AVOID FIRES AND TO REPORT ANY PERSON BEHAVING SUSPICIOUSLY TO THE POLICE.

DURING THE LAST THREE MONTHS LAST YEAR, THERE WERE 46 SQUATTER FIRES INVOLVING 3 969 HUTS AND 15 288 PEOPLE.

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