XN000022-1986-05-28 — Page 27

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 1986

PERMITTED RENTS OF PRE-WAR PREMISES RANGED FROM $300 TO *2 000 PER MONTH AND AVERAGED ABOUT 55 PER CENT OF FREE MARKET LEVELS. FOR POST-WAR PREMISES THE RANGE WAS GREATER: FROM A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR SMALLER FLATS TO ABOUT $8 000 FOR LARGER UNITS. THE AVERAGE OF SUCH CONTROLLED RENTS WAS ABOUT 68 PER CENT OF THE EQUIVALENT MARKET VALUE.

HE ALSO SAID OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, ON THE BASIS OF THE PRESENT LEGISLATION AND ASSUMING THAT THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN MARKET LEVELS, THE RENTS OF SOME 50 000 FLATS WOULD REACH, OR WOULD BE CLOSE TO, MARKET LEVELS.

UNATTENDED CHILDREN: PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN PLANNED

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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE PLANS TO INITIATE A PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN TO WARN PARENTS OF THE DANGER OF LEAVING THEIR CHILDREN UNATTENDED, TO ENCOURAGE MORE MUTUAL HELP AMONG NEIGHBOURS, AND TO PUBLICISE THE SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS TOLD TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON PAULINE NG, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID EXISTING LEGISLATION WAS ADEQUATE TO DEAL WITH CASES OF SERIOUS ABUSE OR NEGLECT OF YOUNG CHILDREN.

+SECTION 27 OF THE OFFENCES AGAINST THE PERSON ORDINANCE MAKES IT AN OFFENCE TO WILFULLY ASSAULT, ILL TREAT, NEGLECT, ABANDON OR EXPOSE ANY CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 16,+ HE SAID.

+ IN ADDITION, THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND JUVENILES ORDINANCE GIVES THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE WIDE POWERS TO TAKE ACTION IN THE INTERESTS OF ANY CHILD WHO IS LIKELY TO BE EXPOSED TO ANY MORAL OR PHYSICAL DANGER.+

+THE DIRECTOR CAN MAKE AN ORDER REGARDING THE CONTROL AND CUSTODY OF THE CHILD IN DANGER, OR ALTERNATIVELY CAN APPLY TO A JUVENILE COURT FOR A CARE AND PROTECTION ORDER TO PLACE THE CHILD UNDER THE CARE OF AN APPROPRIATE PERSON, HE ADDED.

HOWEVER, MR CHAMBERS DOUBTED WHETHER THESE PROVISIONS WERE APPROPRIATE FOR USE IN CASES OF THE TYPE REFERRED TO BY MRS NG IV WHICH CHILDREN WERE LEFT ALONE WHEN THEIR PARENTS WERE OUT, AS THEY SEEMED TO INVOLVE NEGLIGENCE RATHER THAN SERIOUS NEGLECT.

+IN SUCH CASES, IT IS VERY DOUBTFUL WHETHER LEGISLATION 1$ THE RIGHT ANSWER, HE SAID.

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