Sir,
Speech by the Attorney General, Mr. Michael Thomas, Q.C.
Second Reading of Small Claims Tribunal
(Amendment) Bill 1986
12 March 1986
I move that the Small Claims Tribunal (Amendment)
Bill 1986 be read a second time.
2.
In
The Small Claims Tribunal was set up under an
Ordinance on 1 October 1976 as a court in which claims,
currently not exceeding $5,000, can be processed in a
quick and inexpensive manner. It has since proved its
value, both to individuals and to commercial concerns.
1983 the Chief Justice set up a Working Party to consider
the practice and procedure of the Tribunal. In its report
the Working Party recommended legislative amendments to
increase the jurisdiction of the Tribunal, to remove
the time limits for hearing a claim and to amend certain
other procedures of the Tribunal. This Bill seeks to
effect the necessary legislative amendments and at the
same time to make some minor amendments to the practice
and procedures of the Small Claims Tribunal.
3.
The Bill contains two principal proposals.
14.
First,