SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 1980
LEGAL AID MOVES TO NEW TERRITORIES IN JULY
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LEGAL AID WILL BE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES FROM JULY.
THIS WILL BE MADE POSSIBLE WHEN A MOBILE OFFICE STARTS OPERATING TO SERVE THE QUICKLY GROWING NEW TOWNS THERE.
THE DIRECTOR OF LEGAL AID, MR DESMOND O'REILLY MAYNE, SAID THIS NEW SERVICE IS ESSENTIAL TO KEEP PACE WITH THE ENORMOUS POPULATION INCREASES ANTICIPATED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES DUR ENG THE SHORT AND MEDIUM TERMS.
THE SITUATION WILL BE KEPT UNDER REVIEW AND EXTRA SERVICES WOULD BE PROVIDED WHEN NECESSARY.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE MOBILE OFFICE WOULD ENABLE THE RESIDENTS TO SAVE TRAVELLING.
+HOWEVER, HE ADDED, WHAT IS PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANT IS TO EDUCATE THE NEW TERRITORIES PEOPLE ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE RULE OF LAW AS WELL AS MAKING THEM AWARE OF THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS. THEY WILL NEED HELP ON ALL MATTERS RELATING TO ENFORCEMENT OF SUCH RIGHTS.+
MR MAYNE NOTED THAT OF THE TOTAL APPLICATIONS RECEIVED LAST YEAR FROM THE KOWLOON BRANCH OFFICE, NEARLY 22 PER CENT WERE FROM THE NEW TERRITORIES. THE DEMANDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE FOLLOWING ITS RAPID DEVELOPMENT.
TO SERVE THIS PURPOSE, THE ROTARY CLUB OF THE NEW TERRITORIES HAS DONATED A VEHICLE WHICH IS NOW BEING CONVERTED INTO A MOBILE OFFICE.
STAFFED BY A PROFESSIONAL OFFICER AND A LAW CLERK, THE AIR-CONDITIONED MOBILE OFFICE WILL SPEND ONE DAY A WEEK IN EACH OF THE MAJOR RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
IT IS PLANNED THAT THE OFFICE WILL CALL REGULARLY AT TSUEN WAN, TUEN MUN, YUEN LONG, TAI PO AND SHEUNG SHUI.
A DETAILED VISIT PROGRAMME WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE.
MEANWHILE, THE FREE LEGAL ADVICE SCHEME, INTRODUCED BY THE LAW SOCIETY IN THE URBAN AREA IN NOVEMBER 1978, HAS ALSO BEEN EXTENDED TO THE WESTERN PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.
A LEGAL ADVICE CENTRE WAS SET UP LAST MONTH ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE TSUEN WAN TOWN MANAGEMENT OFFICE. IT IS MANNED BY TWO LAWYERS EVERY TUESDAY EVENING FROM 6.30 PM TO 9.30 PM TO SERVE TSUEN WAN, KWAI CHUNG, TUEN MUN AND YUEN LONG.
THE SCHEME IS EXPECTED TO BE FURTHER EXTENDED TO THE EASTERN HALF OF THE NEW TERRITORIES NEXT YEAR.
THE LAW SOCIETY IS NOW OPERATING FOUR CENTRES IN THE URBAN AREA AT MONG KOK, WONG TAI SIN, EASTERN DISTRICT AND WAN CHAI.
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