XN000022-1983-05-25 — Page 24

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1983

MR JEAFFRESON SAID THAT PERSONS WHO ARE THE SUBJECT OF +NO CONVICTION RECORDED+ ORDERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR NO CRIMINAL CONVICTION+ CERTIFICATES.

+IN CASES WHERE NO CONVICTION RECORDED' HAS BEEN ORDERED, THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE PROVIDES A LETTER ADVISING THAT ALTHOUGH THE SUBJECT HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF AN OFFENCE IN HONG KONG, THE COURT HAS ORDERED 'NO CONVICTION RECORDED+, HE SAID.

THE COMMISSIONER PROVIDED 95 SUCH LETTERS LAST YEAR.

SAME CAUSES SEEN FOR MALE AND FEMALE CRIME

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THERE WAS AN INCREASE OF 44.4 PER CENT IN THE NUMBER OF FEMALES CONVICTED OF CRIMINAL OFFENCES DURING THE FIVE YEARS FROM 1978 TO 1982, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

REPLYING TO QUESTIONS FROM THE HON PETER C.WONG,

MR JEAFFRESON POINTED OUT THAT SINCE THIS INCREASE ALMOST EXACTLY PARALLELED THAT FOR MALE OFFENDERS, IT WAS REASONABLE TO SUPPOSE THAT THE SAME BASIC CAUSES OF CRIME APPLIED TO BOTH SEXES.

+CERTAINLY THERE IS NOTHING I CAN SEE IN THE PATTERN OF

THE CAUSES CRIMES COMMITTED TO LEAD TO ANY OTHER CONCLUSION. ARE OF A GENERAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC NATURE, HE SAID.

MR JEAFFRESON ADDED THAT FEMALE OFFENDERS REPRESENTED LESS THAN 10 PER CENT OF ALL OFFENDERS IN HONG KONG AND THAT THEY TENDED TO INDULGE IN PRIMARILY THE LESS SERIOUS TYPES OF CRIME.

*THE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THIS INCREASE ARE, I SUGGEST, OF NO GREAT SIGNIFICANCE, HE SAID.

BILL TO MODERNISE PROVISIONS IN EXCHANGE FUND ORDINANCE

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THE EXCHANGE FUND HAS BEEN USED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS SINCE DECEMBER 1981 FOR THE INTERVENTION IN THE MONEY MARKET TO EXERT PRESSURE ON INTEREST RATES AND THEREBY INFLUENCE THE EXCHANGE RATE, THE ACTING FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON DOUGLAS BLYE, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

ON DECEMBER 9, 1981, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY EXPLAINED TO THE COUNCIL A MECHANISM BY WHICH THE GOVERNMENT COULD INTERVENE IN THE MONEY MARKET THROUGH THE EXCHANGE FUND.

/→ EVEN THOUGH