XN000022-1984-06-13 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1984

+ACTION THEREAFTER WILL DEPEND ON THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN RESPONSE TO THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT, HE SAID.

IF THE PROPOSALS FOUND FAVOUR, THE NEXT LIKELY STEP WOULD BE THE DRAFTING OF AMENDMENTS TO THE COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES ORDINANCE, AND A REFERENCE TO THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL FOR ADVICE AS TO WHETHER AN AMENDING BILL SHOULD BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID.

MR ROWLANDS ADDED THAT HE WAS IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH THE REGISTRAR OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES WHO ADMINISTERS THE ORDINANCE.

+HAWKERS WERE NOT BEING CHASED+

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HAWKERS INVOLVED IN TWO MUCH-PUBLICISED ACCIDENTS WERE NOT ACTUALLY BEING CHASED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS TOLD TODAY.

THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON HENRY CHING, WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON PETER POON WHO WANTED TO KNOW, IN VIEW OF RECENT ACCIDENTS, WHAT WAS BEING DONE TO REMOVE SUCH DANGER IN THE FUTURE.

MR CHING SAID THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO BRING AN OFFENDER BEFORE THE COURTS WITHOUT FIRST APPREHENDING HIM: +AND IT WOULD PERHAPS BE NAIVE NOT TO EXPECT HIM AT LEAST TO ATTEMPT TO AVOID BEING TAKEN.+

IT WAS IN RUNNING AWAY THAT THE DANGER AROSE.

+ KNOW OF NO WAY OF REDUCING THIS POTENTIAL DANGER IN THE CASE OF ILLEGAL HAWKERS, OTHER THAN BY THEIR COMPLETE AND SPEEDY REMOVAL FROM OUR STREETS,+ SAID MR CHING.

IN ONE CASE, SAID MR CHING, THE HAWKER RAN WITH COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS SIMPLY ON SIGHTING GENERAL DUTIES TEAM OFFICERS AT THE OTHER END OF THE STREET.

+GENERAL DUTIES TEAMS ARE UNDER STANDING INSTRUCTION TO FIT THEIR ACTIONS TO THE PREVAILING CIRCUMSTANCES AND THEY DO NOT GIVE CHASE WHEN BY SO DOING THEY MIGHT CREATE A HAZARDOUS SITUATION.

+COLD COMFORT THOUGH IT MIGHT BE, I MUST STRESS THAT THERE IS A DUTY ON THE PART OF EVERY PERSON IN A PUBLIC PLACE TO EXERCISE CARE, CAUTION AND CONDISERATION AND TO BE ALERT AT ALL TIMES TO WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND HIM, SAID MR CHING.

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