XN000022-1991-02-22 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1991

THE SALE OF RAFFLE TICKETS CONSTITUTES A LOTTERY. UNDER THE GAMBLING ORDINANCE, CTEL MAY BY LICENCE AUTHORISE THE PROMOTION AND CONDUCT OF ANY LOTTERY BY A CLUB OR ASSOCIATION.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE STREETS OF HONG KONG WERE ALREADY CONGESTED AND PRIME LOCATIONS BUSY WITH PEDESTRIANS.

"IT IS THUS NOT APPROPRIATE TO PERMIT THE SALE OF RAFFLE TICKETS BY A CLUB OR ASSOCIATION TO BE PROMOTED AND CONDUCTED IN PUBLIC STREETS," HE SAID.

"IT IS ALSO CONSIDERED NOT APPROPRIATE THAT RAFFLES SHOULD COMPETE ON THE STREET WITH FLAG DAYS WHICH RAISE MONEY FOR CHARITY. SUCH FLAG DAYS ARE AN ESTABLISHED PART OF LIFE IN HONG KONG AND ARE ACCEPTED BY THE PUBLIC, HE ADDED.

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IN RECENT YEARS, COMPETITION FOR HOLDING FLAG DAYS HAS BEEN KEEN TO THE EXTENT OF BEING OVER SUBSCRIBED AND THE ALLOCATION OF FLAG DAYS HAS HAD TO BE DETERMINED BY BALLOT.

THE NEW CONDITION WILL BE

ASSOCIATIONS.

APPLIED TO ALL CLUBS AND

OF

HOWEVER, RAFFLE TICKETS COULD BE SOLD IN PRIVATELY OWNED PUBLIC PLACES SUCH AS SHOPPING MALLS AS LONG AS THE CONSENT THE OWNER OR MANAGER HAS BEEN OBTAINED.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO RELAX THE CURRENT ARRANGEMENTS UNDER THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE GOVERNING THE COLLECTION OF DONATIONS IN PUBLIC PLACES.

"DETAILS ARE BEING WORKED OUT AND AN ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE

MADE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

SEARCHES AT VBP CENTRE AFTER PRE-DAWN INCIDENT

OPERATIONS

DEPARTMENT

A TOTAL OF 109 WEAPONS WERE SEIZED IN TWO SEARCH CONDUCTED BY STAFF OF THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES FOLLOWING A PRE-DAWN INCIDENT IN THE WHITEHEAD DETENTION CENTRE TODAY (FRIDAY).

A TOTAL OF 15 ARRESTS WERE MADE IN THE OPERATIONS.

THE INCIDENT OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT WHEN A GROUP OF

WEAPONS 20 TO 30 MASKED VBP WHO WERE ARMED WITH HOME-MADE

WERE SEEN TRYING TO FORCE OPEN THE DOOR OF A DORMITORY. SOME 100 OTHER VBP STANDING NEARBY AS ONLOOKERS.

WERE

TO

AFTER UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO STOP THEM, THE STAFF ON CALLED

THE IN REINFORCEMENTS. HOWEVER, DESPITE REPEATED ADVICE, STILL REFUSED

DISPERSE AND STARTED To BURN ENTRANCE OF THE DORMITORY.

DUTY

VBP

BLANKETS AT

THE

/AT THE