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THRUS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1976
TURNING TO THE SO-CALLED +TEA MONEY+ CASES, MR. HOBLEY SAID THE EXPRESSION IMPLIED A TIP GIVEN SOLELY OUT OF KINDNESS, WITHOUT ANY ULTERIOR MOTIVE LIKE THE TIP ONE GAVE A RESTAURANT WAITER OR A HOTEL PORTER.
THE DESCRIPTION OF TWO SUCH RECENT CASES, HE SAID, WAS VERY MISLEADING BECAUSE BOTH INVOLVED THE OFFERING OF MONEY TO EMPLOYEES OF A PUBLIC BODY SPECIFIED IN THE SCHEDULE TO THE PREVENTION OF BRIBERY ORDINANCE.
MONEY WAS RARELY GIVEN IN SUCH CASES SOLELY OUT OF KINDNESS, HE STRESSED.
REFERRING TO THE ICAC'S PRIORITIES WHICH, AMONG OTHER ASPECTS, WERE CONCERNED WITH MAJOR RATHER THAN MINOR CASES, HE SAID +WE MUST BE CAREFUL ABOUT OUR CLASS IF ICATION OF MINOR'+
+A CASE IS CERTAINLY NOT MINOR MERELY BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY INVOLVED IS SMALL, AND A MAGISTRATE HAS WARNED IN CLEAR TERMS THAT IN HIS COURT IMPRISONMENT WILL FOLLOW IN ALL BUT THE MOST EXCEPTIONAL CASES WHERE MONEY IS OFFERED TO PUBLIC SERVANTS, AMONG WHOM THERE IS INCLUDED THE EMPLOYEES OF SCHEDULED PUBLIC BODIES,+ HE SAID.
TURNING TO THE SUBJECT OF LEGAL AID, MR. HOBLEY SAID THE NEXT STEP IN ITS DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE AN EXTENSION TO COVER CIVIL CASES BY RAISING THE FINANCIAL LIMITS OF ELIGIBILITY.
+THE QUESTION HAS BEEN UNDER REVIEW FOR SOME MONTHS NOW AND PROPOSALS ARE LIKELY TO BE PUT FORWARD IN THE NEAR FUTURE,+ HE SAID.
HE ADDED, HOWEVER, THAT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS THE PROVISION OF LEGAL ADVICE AT PUBLIC EXPENSE AND THE EXTENSION OF LEGAL AID TO THE MAGISTRATES' COURTS WOULD TAKE A LONG TIME.
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