XN000022-1986-12-03 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1986

CHILDREN LEFT ALONE AT HOME NOT AN OFFENCE

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THERE ARE NO PROVISIONS IN THE LEGISLATION OF SOME COUNTRIES MAKING IT AN OFFENCE FOR PARENTS TO LEAVE THEIR CHILDREN ALONE AT HOME, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HUI YIN-FAT, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE RELEVANT LEGISLATION FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND HAD BEEN STUDIED WITH THE HELP OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS.

+NONE OF THESE COUNTRIES HAVE LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS WHICH HAVE THIS EFFECT,+ HE SAID.

MR CHAMBERS SAID, HOWEVER, THAT IT WAS AN OFFENCE BOTH IN THE U.K. AND IN NEW ZEALAND FOR PARENTS TO +WILFULLY ASSAULT, NEGLECT, ABANDON OR EXPOSE ANY CHILD UNDER THEIR CARE+.

HE ADDED THAT HE HAD POINTED OUT IN HIS REPLY ON MAY 28 THAT A SIMILAR PROVISION ALREADY EXISTED IN THE LAW OF HONG KONG.

NO INCREASE IN PRIMARY STUDENT SUICIDE CASES

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FIGURES SUPPLIED BY THE CORONER'S COURT DO NOT INDICATE THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASING INCIDENCE OF SUICIDE AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HUI YIN-FAT MR CHAMBERS POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE CASE RECORDED IN 1983 FROM THE 0-9 AGE GROUP, WHILE IN THE 10-19 AGE GROUP THERE WERE 21 CASES IN 1983, NINE IN 1984 AND 14 IN 1985.

AS REGARDS STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICERS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS, HE SAID THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AT PRESENT HAD 167 SUCH OFFICERS WHICH WAS 17 SHORT OF THE APPROVED ESTABLISHMENT.

THE DIRECTOR