voiced fears over costs.

Expanding community service to cut the rate of imprisonment was tagged expensive.

So too was recording Police interviews and court cases through tapes and videos.

And the cost of having court stenographers was dubbed "prohibitive''.

There were fears a Government, with coffers hit by the recession, would have problems picking up the tab.

It was crucial for Cabinet Ministers to shuffle Judge Tumim's proposals into order of priority, it was claimed.

But the thrust of the criminal justice system report was given a big thumbs-up.

A move towards ending the jailing of traffic offenders was considered a must.

Yesterday The Royal Gazette asked key community figures for their initial reaction to the report.

Police Commissioner Mr. Lennett (Lennie) Edwards welcomed an independent Police complaints body.

But he voiced concern over the cost of video cameras and tape recorders for interviews of suspects. Officers would also have to be trained to use them properly.

Prisons Commissioner Mr. Edward Dyer described the report as a "piggy back'' on other reviews.

"It helps provide a composite picture of the situation we are in.'' Abolishing corrective training and mandatory jail terms for traffic offenders was welcome, said Mr. Dyer.

Mr. Dyer said the Co-Ed Facility would probably survive if jailing under-16s ended.

"It is used as a women's prison, and would probably be renamed.'' Solicitor General Mr. Barrie Meade dubbed most recommendations "practicable''.

Cost was the main obstacle to running an effective community service, however.

Mr. Meade strongly approved the plan for a "half-way'' house for offenders.

Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis said: "I feel very positive about what I've heard of the report.

`I have been pushing for community service for first offenders and young offenders, in particular.'' Mr. Francis said court stenographers would relieve the impediment of writing down evidence in trials.

Mr. Tracey Kelly, Administrative Officer for Magistrates' Court, said stenographers demanded salaries up to $70,000-a-year.

"We have looked at the cost and it is prohibitive. They have specific skills which are difficult to find.

"It's something, however, we need to bring us in line with most modern countries.'' Mr. Kelly said the idea of a Family Court would need careful scrutiny.

The Rev. Canon James Francis, chairman of the Human Rights Commission, backed the idea of a race relations division within his organisation.

"The commission should be able to initiate investigations. In order to save people from being harassed it needs this power to see if allegations are true or not.'' Mr. Alastair Macdonald, chairman of the interim committee of the National Drugs Strategy, welcomed Judge Tumim's call for the group to be properly funded.

"Judge Tumim has cleared the air, and focussed on a strategy for drugs. His support is very welcome.'' The Progressive Labour Party underlined the problem of institutionalised racism highlighted in the report.

And it attacked Government for allowing the issue to fester over the years.

Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan should realise the community was a victim of Government's failure to tackle the problem, the PLP said.

National Liberal Party leader Mr. Gilbert Darrell said his party was preparing a statement on the Judge Tumim report.

MR. EDWARD DYER -- "The report is welcomed''.