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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(19) DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG asked the following question:-
(a) In view of the high incidence of major and minor crimes in resettlement estates, could the Commissioner for Resettlement please undertake to seek additional co-operation from the Police authorities in patrolling estates more frequently?
(b) Will the Commissioner for Resettlement please consider encouraging the employment of private watchmen by Kaifongs and other civic bodies within estates to assist the Police in combatting crime in resettlement areas generally?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
The Commissioner of Police informs me that there has been no increase in crime in resettlement estates during the first seven months of the current year. It is therefore considered that the present arrangements, which include additional mobile patrols when available, are satisfactory. At the same time the position in the resettlement estates is kept in constant review and appropriate action can be taken by the Police to meet any change in the situation. The question of kaifongs and other organizations employing their own force of watchmen has been raised from time to time. It is however considered that the formation of such private forces is undesirable and the policy is that law and order in the urban areas of the Colony should be maintained by the Police.
DR. HUANG:-Mr. Chairman, two supplementaries. First of all, would the Commissioner for Resettlement agree that there is a much higher percentage of criminal cases that are not reported in Resettlement Estates, for the simple reason that people are frightened that their family will be exposed? Secondly I was told by a Kaifong leader that each case, when dealt with by the Police Department, people had to stay in the station reporting the case for 3 to 5 hours, that is when it was reported, and when they do pick up the criminal they have to identify him and spend another 3 to 5 hours. This makes it a very unnecessary long, long time which very few people can afford, and I just wonder if the Commissioner for Resettlement agrees if there is a much higher percentage of cases than would appear to be reported to the Police? If so, the Police so-called figure is not very accurate.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I am not sure that I can answer that, Mr. Chairman. Quite obviously there is a number of cases that are not reported, but I would have thought that those were, in general, comparatively minor ones. The figures which the Police have given me, which refer to selected crimes which are the more serious crimes, would be accurate in that range, but I quite agree with you that there may be additional cases which do not get into the statistics.
DR. HUANG:--My second supplementary is that actually I talked to a number of Kaifong leaders in the Resettlement Estates and I also spoke with the Resettlement Department's staff too, and all of them feel that the situation here is much worse than in the area outside the resettlement estate. They are very concerned, and we all agreed that by employing private guards, watchmen and so forth would help a good deal. Now, the Police point out that this is not very desirable and, in fact, they give us the impression that the situation in Resettlement Estates is just as good as anywhere else. Now, I wonder if the Commissioner for Resettlement agrees with the Police that actually we have nothing to be concerned about in Resettlement Estates.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-From the information that is available to me, I would agree with the police that the general rate of crime in Estates is no worse than in other areas of the urban areas. That, of course, is subject to the proviso that you made before that some of the more minor crimes may not be recorded. I think on this point, these reports of what you might call uneasiness in the Estates have not been put to me in any great force, but if there are any particular Estates that feel they are particularly plagued by crime I am perfectly willing, of course, at any time to take it up with the Police on a specific basis.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, has this been discussed at the Resettlement Management Committee recently, say, within the past six months?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: —Not that I am aware of, Mr. Chairman.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Could it be referred if the Chairman of the Resettlement Management Committee has no objection?
MR. HU:-I never have any objections, certainly I shall be pleased to discuss it.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, may I add my request that some investigation be made because it seems to me, from reports I had in the ward, that intimidation is quite widespread and crime is pretty bad.
ADJOURNMENT - 5:36 P.M.
CHAIRMAN:-That concludes the business of this meeting. Council stands adjourned until the 7th October, 1969 at 4 p.m.
Page 111 of 237
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Page 111 of 237
200
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(19) DR. DENNY M. H. HUANG asked the following question:-
(a) In view of the high incidence of major and minor crimes in resettlement estates, could the Commissioner for Re- settlement please undertake to seek additional co-opera- tion from the Police authorities in patrolling estates more frequently?
(b) Will the Commissioner for Resettlement please consider encouraging the employment of private watchmen by Kaifongs and other civic bodies within estates to assist the Police in combatting crime in resettlement areas generally?
THE COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT replied as follows:-
The Commissioner of Police informs me that there has been no increase in crime in resettlement estates during the first seven months of the current year. It is therefore considered that the present arrangements, which include additional mobile patrols when available, are satisfactory. At the same time the position in the resettlement estates is kept in constant review and appropriate action can be taken by the Police to meet any change in the situation. The question of kaifongs and other organizations employing their own force of watchmen has been raised from time to time. It is however considered that the formation of such private forces is undesirable and the policy is that law and order in the urban areas of the Colony should be maintained by the Police.
DR. HUANG-Mr. Chairman, two supplementaries. First of all, would the Commissioner for Resettlement agree that there is a much higher percentage of criminal cases that are not reported in Resettle- ment Estates, for the simple reason that people are frightened that their family will be exposed? Secondly I was told by a Kaifong leader that each case, when dealt with by the Police Department, people had to stay in the station reporting the case for 3 to 5 hours, that is when it was reported, and when they do pick up the criminal they have to identify him and spend another 3 to 5 hours. This makes it a very unnecessary long, long time which very few people can afford, and I just wonder if the Commissioner for Resettlement agrees if there is a much higher percentage of cases than would appear to be reported to the Police? If so, the Police so-called figure is not very accurate.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I am not sure that I can answer that, Mr. Chairman. Quite obviously there is a number of cases that are not reported, but I would have thought that those were, in general, comparatively minor ones. The figures which the Police
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201
have given me, which refer to selected crimes which are the more serious crimes, would be accurate in that range, but I quite agree with you that there may be additional cases which do not get in to the
statistics.
DR. HUANG:--My second supplementary is that actually I talked to a number of Kaifong leaders in the Resettlement Estates and I also spoke with the Resettlement Department's staff too, and all of them feel that the situation here is much worse than in the area outside the resettlement estate. They are very concerned, and we all agreed that by employing private guards, watchmen and so forth would help a good deal. Now, the Police point out that this is not very desirable and, in fact, they give us the impression that the situation in Resettlement Estates is just as good as anywhere else. Now, I wonder if the Com- missioner for Resettlement agrees with the Police that actually we have nothing to be concerned about in Resettlement Estates.
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-From the information that is available to me, I would agree with the police that the general rate of crime in Estates is no worse than in other areas of the urban areas. That, of course, is subject to the proviso that you made before that some of the more minor crimes may not be recorded. I think on this point, these reports of what you might call uneasiness in the Estates have not been put to me in any great force, but if there are any particular Estates that feel they are particularly plagued by crime I am perfectly willing, of course, at any time to take it up with the Police on a specific basis.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, has this been discussed at the Resettlement Management Committee recently, say, within the past six months?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: —Not that I am aware of, Mr. Chairman.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Could it be referred if the Chairman of the Resettlement Management Committee has no objection?
MR. HU:-I never have any objections, certainly I shall be pleased to discuss it.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, may I add my request that some investigation be made because it seems to me, from reports I had in the ward, that intimidation is quite widespread and crime is pretty bad.
ADJOURNMENT - 5.36 P.M.
-
CHAIRMAN:-That concludes the business of this meeting. Council stands adjourned until the 7th October, 1969 at 4 p.m.
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