XN000022-1986-03-12 — Page 22

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1986

SIR JOHN SAID HE ENVISAGED THESE RESTRICTIONS BEING REMOVED 18 MONTHS AFTER THE COMMENCEMENT OF TRADING ON THE UNIFIED EXCHANGE UNLESS, UPON REVIEW BY THE COMMISSION, IT CONSIDERED THAT THERE WERE COMPELLING REASONS FOR NOT DOING SO.

+ THE SECURITIES COMMISSION AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT A FREE AND OPEN STOCK MARKET MUST BE OUR ULTIMATE GOAL, HE ADDED.

WAYS STUDIED TO DEAL WITH FALSE BURGLAR ALARMS

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THE GOVERNMENT WAS LOOKING INTO WAYS TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THE FALSE SOUNDING OF BURGLAR ALARMS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

HE WAS REPLYING TO QUESTIONS ASKED BY THE HON TAM YIU-CHUNG CONCERNING THE FREQUENT FALSE SOUNDING OF BURGLAR ALARMS AT NIGHT IN DENSELY POPULATED URBAN AREAS, WHICH DISTURBED THE PEACE OF NEIGHBOURING RESIDENTS.+

+ THE GOVERNMENT FULLY APPRECIATES THAT BURGLAR ALARMS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS NOISE NUISANCE. FALSE ALARMS ARE ALSO A SERIOUS WASTE OF POLICE MANPOWER, MR THOMAS SAID.

OPTIONS BEING EXAMINED TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION, MR THOMAS SAID, WERE:

* INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION TO ENABLE THE COURTS TO FINE THE OCCUPIER OF PREMISES FOR EACH FALSE ALARM,

*

*

*

*

A BAN ON AUDIBLE ALARMS ALTOGETHER ON PREMISES WHICH INCLUDE RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION,

EMPOWERING THE POLICE TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF FALSE ALARMS, TO INSPECT ALARM SYSTEMS AND TO ORDER IMPROVEMENTS,

REGULATION OF THE DESIGN AND SPECIFICATION OF AUDI BLE ALARM SYSTEMS, AND

REQUIRING ALARM SYSTEMS TO BE FITTED WITH AN AUTOMATIC CUT-OFF MECHANISM TO OPERATE AFTER A FIXED PERIOD.

THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE WOULD SOON

BE ASKED TO CONSIDER

THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ALL THESE OPTIONS.

ON ANOTHER POINT RAISED BY MR TAM, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID THAT NO STATISTICS WERE AVAILABLE ON THE FALSE SOUNDING OF AUDIBLE ALARMS AT NIGHT.

/AS FOR