XN000022-1984-02-15 — Page 14

JEDNESDAY, FESHO...

+IN ADDITION, A SMALL NUMBER OF SCHOOLS, WHICH AMOUNT TO 19 AND ARE MAINLY UNDER RELIGIOUS SPONSORSHIP, HAVE OPTED TO EMPLOY THEIR OWN SOCIAL WORKERS FROM PRIVATE RESOURCES.+

MR HAYE SAID THE DAY-TO-DAY OVERALL COORDINATION OF THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SCHEME RESTED WITH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IN CONSULTATION WITH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

→THERE IS ANOTHER FACET OF THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK PROGRAMME WHICH I SHOULD MENTION: IT IS THE REFERRAL OF DIFFICULT COUNSELLING CASES BY MY STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICERS TO THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, AND THIS CAN OCCUR IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS, HE ADDED.

MR HAYE SAID THE GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS WHEN THE GENERAL MANPOWER SITUATION IN THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION IMPROVED,

HOWEVER, BEFORE THE INFUSION OF FURTHER STAFF RESOURCES IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT THE RESOURCES ALREADY DIRECTED TO THIS SERVICE WERE BEING USED AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE IN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEMS FACED BY SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS.

+AN EVALUATION OF THE SERVICE IS NOW BEING CONDUCTED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR, HE ADDED.

TRAFFIC PENALTY LAW TIDIED UP ***

TWO BILLS AIMED AT CLEARING UP ANOMALIES IN THE FIXED PENALTY LEGISLATION, WHICH WILL COME INTO EFFECT IN APRIL, WERE READ A SECOND TIME IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MOVING THE BILLS, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR ALAN SCOTT SAID THAT THE TRAFFIC FIXED PENALTY SYSTEM HAD TO BE SEEN BY THE PUBLIC AS OPERATING FAIRLY+.

IN PARTICULAR OUTSTANDING PENALTIES SHOULD BE COLLECTED SO THAT OFFENDERS CANNOT IGNORE AND ESCAPE THE LAW, HE ADDED.

THE TWO BILLS ARE THE FIXED PENALTY (TRAFFIC CONTRAVENTIONS) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1984 AND THE FIXED PENALTY (CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1984.

MR SCOTT SAID THAT THE OBJECTIVE OF BOTH BILLS WAS TO RECTIFY SHORTCOMINGS IN THE FIXED PENALTY (TRAFFIC CONTRAVENTIONS) (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1981 AND THE FIXED PENALTY (CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS) (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1981 - BOTH OF WHICH ARE INTENDED FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN APRIL.

+THE PRINCIPAL FEATURE OF THOSE ORDINANCES WAS THE IMPOSITION OF AN ADDITIONAL PENALTY ON PERSONS WHO, WHILE NOT WISHING TO CONTEST AN OFFENCE FOR WHICH A FIXED PENALTY TICKET HAD BEEN ISSUED, HAD DELAYED PAYING THE DUE FINE, HE SAID.

+BOT: