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+WHILE GOVERNMENT IS GENERALLY TOLERANT TOWARDS STREET SLEEPERS WHO DO NOT POSE A DANGER EITHER TO THEMSELVES OR TO THE PUBLIC, THERE ARE EXISTING PROVISIONS IN THE LAW WHICH COULD BE USED TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS PRESENTED BY THE STREET St EPERS WHENEVER NECESSARY.

+FOR EXAMPLE, STREET SLEEPERS WHO APPEAR TO BE IN A STATE

A MENTAL DISORDER, MAY BE BROUGHT TO A DISTRICT JUDGE, GISTRATE OR A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE AND AN ORDER MAY BE MADE TO DETAIN A PERSON IN A MENTAL HOSPITAL FOR NOT MORE THAN SEVEN DAYS, HE SAID.

REFERRING TO INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CLEARANCE OPERATIONS, MANY OF WHICH WERE CO-ORDINATED BY DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTÉES, MR LIAO SAID THE INTENSIVE EFFORTS IN CLEARING MAJOR BLACK SPOTS HAD YIELDED POSITIVE RESULTS.

+FOR EXAMPLE, MORE THAN 60 STREET SLEEPERS AT FERRY POINT IN YAU MA TEI DISTRICT HAVE RECENTLY BEEN CLEARED, HE SAID.

+THEY HAVE BEEN OFFERED TEMPORARY HOUSING SPACES. PENDING FURTHER PROCESSING FOR OTHER FORMS OF HOUSING, AND ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAVE TAKEN UP THE OFFER AND HAVE NOT SQUATTED AGAIN,+ SAID MR LIAO.

MAC OFFICE SPACE ADEQUATE *****

THE PRESENT STANDARD OF SPACE ALLOCATION OF RENT FREE OFFICE ACCOMMODATION FOR MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES IS CONSIDERED ADEQUATE, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON FRED PANG YUK-LING, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE ADDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WILL REGULARLY REVIEW THE SITUATION.

MR PANG SAID THIS IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON PAULINE NG.

MR PANG SAID THE CURRENT STANDARD OF SPACE ALLOCATION FOR MACS WAS 15 SQUARE METRES WHICH WAS SET IN 1981 AFTER A REVIEW BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IN CONSULTATION WITH THE THEN HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT.

+THIS STANDARD WAS CONFIRMED AGAIN AFTER A FURTHER REVIEW IN 1984, + MR PANG ADDED.

/+MAC OFFICES