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MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 1978
THE BRANCH OFFICE'S HOURS OF WORK WILL BE FROM 9 A.M. TO 5.30 P.M. ON MONDAYS TO THURSDAYS, 9 A.M. TO 5 P.M. ON FRIDAYS AND 9 A.M. TO 1 P.M. ON SATURDAYS. ITS TELEPHONE NUMBER IS 3-302241 (TEN LINES).
THE DIRECTOR OF LEGAL AID, MR. D. O'R. MAYNE, SAID THE NEW BRANCH OFFICE IS FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THOSE LIVING IN KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES AND HOPED THAT SUITABLE ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE SO THAT RESIDENTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL HAVE EVEN MORE CONVENIENT FACILITIES FOR SEEKING LEGAL AID NEARER TO THEIR HOMES.+
HE POINTED OUT THAT MEMBERS OF PUBLIC WHO LIVE OR WORK IN KOWLOON OR THE NEW TERRITORIES DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO GO TO THE NEW BRANCH OFFICE AND THEY HAVE A CHOICE OF CONDUCTING THE IR LEGAL MATTERS EITHER AT THE HEAD OFFICE OR AT THE KOWLOON OFFICE.
+BUT ONCE A FILE HAS BEEN OPENED, LITIGANTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO CONDUCT THEIR LITIGIOUS MATTERS IN THAT OFFICE UNLESS THEIR CASE IS REFERRED BY MY STAFF TO ANOTHER OFFICE, HE ADDED.
MR. MAYNE ALSO ASSURED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE THE SAME STANDARD OF SERVICE IN THE NEW BRANCH OFFICE AS IS AVAILABLE IN THE DEPARTMENT'S HEAD OFFICE.
HE SAID THAT IF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE UNABLE TO SEEK LEGAL AID DURING NORMAL OFFICE HOURS, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS TO SEE THEM OUTSIDE THESE HOURS.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DIFFICULTY IN TRAVELLING TO THE DEPARTMENT'S OFFICES EITHER BECAUSE OF ILLNESS OR INJURY MR. MAYNE SAID HIS OFFICERS WOULD CONTINUE TO VISIT THEM AT HOME OR IN HOSPITAL IF THEY WILL CONTACT HIS DEPARTMENTAL SECRETARY AT 5-457036 EXT. 224.
THE WORKLOAD OF THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN JANUARY 1967.
IN ITS FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION, THE DEPARTMENT HANDLED ABOUT 1,200 CIVIL CASES AND LAST YEAR IT DEALT WITH MORE THAN 7.300 CASES IN CIVIL PROCEEDINGS - MORE THAN FIVE TIMES OF THAT IN 1967, IN 1977 THE DEPARTMENT ALSO HANDLED 1,389 CRIMINAL CASES OF VARIOUS KINDS.
THE NUMBER OF CIVIL CASES HANDLED LAST YEAR REPRESENTED A 40 PER CENT INCREASE AS AGAINST THAT IN 1976 AND THIS WAS LARGELY ATTRIBUTED TO THE RAISE OF THE CEILINGS IN MEANS TEST ON JUNE 1, 1977 WHEN THE MAXIMUM DISPOSABLE INCOME FOR A PERSON ELIGIBLE FOR LEGAL AID WAS INCREASED FROM $700 TO $1,000 A MONTH AND THE DISPOSABLE CAPITAL FROM $4,000 TO $10,000.
MR. MAYNE EMPHASISED THAT THE LEGISLATION USES THE PHRASES +DISPOSABLE INCOME AND DISPOSABLE CAPITAL+ WHICH MEANS THE INCOME AND CAPITAL ARRIVED AT AFTER STATUTORY DEDUCTIONS. + IN OTHER WORDS, PERSONS WITH REAL INCOMES AND CAPITAL OF FAR MORE THAN $1,000 PER MONTH AND $10,000 CAPITAL RESPECTIVELY VERY OFTEN QUALIFY FOR LEGAL AID,+
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/SINCE ITS