XN000022-1984-02-15 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY

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19c4

THE HAB COLLATES PUBLIC OPINION OBTAINED BY OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND THROUGH OPINION POLLS AND ATTITUDE SURVEYS.

*THE FINDINGS ARE ANALYSED AND ASSESSED AND PRESENTED TO BRANCHES AND DEPARTMENTS, HE SAID.

APART FROM THESE FORMAL ASSESSMENTS IT WAS A PART OF THE DAILY ROUTINE OF ALL SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO GAUGE OPINION BY READING NEWSPAPERS, WATCHING TELEVISION PROGRAMMES, LISTENING TO AND PARTICIPATING IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAMMES AND GENERALLY MAINTAINING THEIR OWN PERSONAL CONTACTS WITH PEOPLE IN PUBLIC LIFE, MR BRAY SAID.

IMITATION FIREARMS TO BE BANNED ***

THE GOVERNMENT IS DRAFTING LEGISLATION TO BAN THE POSSESSION, EXPORT, IMPORT, MANUFACTURE AND SALE OF HIGH QUALITY IMITATION FIREARMS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHARLES YEUNG, MR JEAFFRESON SAID THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE CONCLUDED THAT PRESENT LEGISLATION CONTROLLING GENUINE FIREARMS WAS ADEQUATE.

HOWEVER, THE COMMITTEE WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT REDUCING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMUGGLING FIREARMS INTO HONG KONG.

THE COMMISSIONER FOR CUSTOMS AND EXCISE HAD NOW INSTALLED MORE DETECTION EQUIPMENT AND WOULD BE DEPLOYING MORE MANPOWER AT CHECK POINTS TO STEP UP EFFORTS IN THIS DIRECTION, HE SAID.

MR JEAFFRESON POINTED OUT THAT FIREARMS ALREADY IN HONG KONG WERE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE POLICE.

+FOLLOWING THE RECENT ARMED ROBBERIES, THE POLICE HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL IN TRACING AND SEIZING ILLEGAL FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION, HE SAID.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON PETER C. WONG ON MEASURES TO PREVENT OR REDUCE ARMED ROBBERIES, MR JEAFFRESON SAID THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE HAD GROUPS LOOKING AT THE USE OF FIREARMS IN CRIME, AT THE SECURITY OF GOLDSMITH AND JEWELLERY SHOPS, BANKS AND GOLD WORKSHOPS AND AT HOW TO REDUCE CRIME GENERALLY, AND ROBBERIES IN PARTICULAR, IN MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS.

+AS REGARDS GOLDSMITHS AND JEWELLERY SHOPS THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE IS FULLY AGREED THAT THE ANSWER LIES IN BETTER SECURITY MEASURES AND IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE RELEVANT ASSOCIATIONS TO THIS EFFECT, HE SAID.

/+THE SÆCURITY