XN000022-1992-02-07 — Page 12

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1992

HE SAID THE NEW. HIGHER

PENALTIES

FOR

POSSESSION SHOULD PROVIDE GREATER FLEXIBILITY TO THE COURTS AND TO THE PROSECUTION,

"POSSESSION CASES CAN EITHER BE BROUGHT BEFORE A MAGISTRATE TO SEEK A SUMMARY CONVICTION, IN CASES OF SIMPLE POSSESSION FOR PERSONAL USE, OR BEFORE THE DISTRICT OR HIGH COURT TO SEEK AN INDICTMENT FOR MORE SERIOUS CASES OF POSSESSION", HE SAID.

THE

COMMISSIONER

EMPHASISED THAT THOSE CONVICTED OF TRAFFICKING OFFENCES WOULD STILL FACE A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF LIFE IMPRISONMENT AND A FINE OF $5 MILLION.

"WE WILL

CONTINUE

TO DEAL SEVERELY WITH TRAFFICKERS", MR

WOODHOUSE SAID.

THE ACETYLATING

SUBSTANCES (CONTROL) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1992 SEEKS TO MAKE AMENDMENTS WHICH ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE IN THE DANGEROUS DRUGS ORDINANCE.

THE BILLS WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR THE FIRST READING AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE SECOND READING DEBATE ON FEBRUARY 26.

TWO PRE-WAR BUILDINGS DECLARED DANGEROUS

THE BUILDING AUTHORITY HAS DECLARED THE BUILDING AT 48 GRAHAM STREET IN CENTRAL TO BE DANGEROUS AND THE BUILDING AT 50 OF THE SAME STREET LIABLE TO BECOME DANGEROUS.

IN A STATEMENT ISSUED TODAY (FRIDAY), THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR (PGBS) SAID THE BUILDINGS WERE THREE-STOREY PRE-WAR STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED OF LOADBEARING BRICK WALLS WITH TIMBER FLOORS, STAIRCASES AND ROOF JOISTS AND HAD COCKLOFTS.

THE ORIGINAL ROOF COVERINGS ON BOTH BUILDINGS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL YEARS AGO WITH CORRUGATED METAL SHEET COVERED WITH CEMENT RENDERING AND THE BUILDINGS HAVE A COMMON PARTY WALL.

REPAIRS TO PARTS OF THE BUILDING AT 48 GRAHAM STREET HAD RECENTLY BEEN COMPLETED IN RESPONSE ΤΟ AN ORDER BY THE BUILDING AUTHORITY.

HOWEVER, FOLLOWING THE DEMOLITION OF THE ADJOINING BUILDINGS AT 2 AND 3 TSUN WING LANE, WHICH WERE CLOSED UNDER EMERGENCY ORDERS LAST AUGUST SOME MAJOR DEFECTS AT 48 GRAHAM STREET BECAME APPARENT.

/SUBSEQUENT DETAILED