XN000022-1983-01-05 — Page 5

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1983

SMALL INCREASE IN UNLICENSED HAWKING

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THERE WAS A SMALL INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF UNLICENSED HAWKERS DURING THE LAST 12 MONTHS BUT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO GIVE THE CAUSE FOR THIS INCREASE, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON DENIS BRAY, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+SOME ARGUE THAT AN INCREASE IN UNLICENSED HAWKING IS CAUSED BY THE DIFFICULTY OF FINDING OTHER WORK: OTHERS THAT IT IS IN TIMES OF PROSPERITY WHEN PEOPLE HAVE MORE TO SPEND THAT UNLICENSED HAWKING INCREASES,+ MR BRAY SAID.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHARLES YEUNG, MR BRAY EXPLAINED, HOWEVER, THAT SEASONAL FACTORS WERE AN IMPORTANT INFLUENCE ON THE EXTENT OF HAWKING.

WITH THE END OF THE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING PERIOD, UNLICENSED HAWKING WAS NOW DECREASING; BUT IT COULD BE EXPECTED TO INCREASE VERY SUBSTANTIALLY WITH THE APPROACH OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR. AFTER THAT, THERE WOULD BE A BIG DROP AGAIN.

+THESE CHANGES TAKE PLACE EVERY YEAR, AND SUGGEST THAT IT IS OPPORTUNITY RATHER THAN DESPERATION WHICH HAS THE STRONGER EFFECT,+ MR BRAY SAID. WHILE THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT KEEP RECORDS OF THE NUMBER OF UNLICENSED HAWKERS OR OF THE REASONS FOR THEIR HAWKING, IT DID NEVERTHELESS ATTEMPT TO GET AN ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER PERIODICALLY.

INDICATIONS WERE THAT THERE WAS A SMALL INCREASE IN THE NUMBER, HE SAID.

EDUCATION SEEN AS BEST APPROACH

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THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT THE BEST APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM OF THROWING OBJECTS FROM HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS LIES IN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, THE HON DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

TO THIS END, HE SAID, A GOVERNMENT +ANNOUNCEMENT OF PUBLIC INTEREST+ WAS BROADCAST REGULARLY ON TELEVISION AND OVER THE RADIO, WARNING OF THE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES WHICH MIGHT ARISE AND THE PENALTIES WHICH MIGHT BE IMPOSED FOR SUCH CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR.

+THE TELEVISION FILM ON THIS IS PARTICULARLY FORCEFUL IT SHOWS HOW A BOTTLE, THROWN FROM A WINDOW OF AN UPPER-FLOOR FLAT BY A SELFISH PERSON, HITS HIS DAUGHTER PLAYING BELOW, FATALLY INJURING HER, HE SAID.

/IN REPLY