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DOOR NOT CLOSED ON NON-GRADUATE SOLICITORS
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THE LEGAL PRACTITIONERS (AMENDMENT)(NO.2) BILL 1980 WHICH SEEKS TO ABOLISH THE STATUS OF ENROLLED STUDENTS IN SOLICITOR TRAINING IN HONG KONG WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY,
SPEAKING AT THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL, THE LAW DRAFTSMAN, THE HON GERALD NAZARETH SAID THE ACTUAL ABOLITION OF THE ROLL OF STUDENTS, PROVIDED FOR IN THE STUDENTS RULES MADE BY THE COUNCIL OF THE LAW SOCIETY, WOULD BE EFFECTED BY AMENDMENTS TO THOSE RULES.
+BUT THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT THE DOOR IS BEING PERMANENTLY SHUT ON THE MEANS TO QUALIFY LOCALLY AS A SOLICITOR OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM,
*AS PART OF THE REVISION OF THE WAYS OF ENTERING THE PROFESSION, THE HONG KONG LAW SOCIETY PROPOSES, IF THE BILL IS ENACTED, TO AMEND THE STUDENTS RULES TO ENABLE PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATIONS TO BE PRESCRIBED.
+SO THAT IF THE MEANS, PARTICULARLY FACILITIES AND STAFF, ARE FOUND TO PROVIDE SUITABLE COURSES AND EXAMINATIONS, NON-GRADUATE ENTRY INTO THE PROFESSION CAN AGAIN BE PROVIDED FOR, + MR NAZARETH SAID.
PASSENGER SAFETY ON KCR TRAINS
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TWENTY PASSENGERS HAVE FALLEN FROM KCR TRAINS OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS, 14 OF THEM BETWEEN STATIONS AND SIX AS TRAINS WERE DRAWING INTO OR PULLING OUT OF STATIONS, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON DEREK JONES SAID TODAY.
MOST OF THESE ACCIDENTS WERE CAUSED BY THE PASSENGERS CONCERNED STANDING OR SITTING ON THE STEPS LEADING INTO THE COACHES AND VIRTUALLY ALL OF THEM WERE DUE TO CARELESSNESS ON THE PART OF THE VICTIMS, MR JONES SAID, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
MR JONES SAID MEASURES HAD BEEN AND WERE BEING TAKEN, THROUGH ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE MEDIA, FREQUENT ANNOUNCEMENTS AT STATIONS AND THROUGH THE DEPLOYMENT OF STAFF ON TRAINS AND NOTICES ON CARRIAGE DOORS, TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF THE DANGERS OF RIDING ON THE STEPS OR OTHERWISE IMPROPERLY.
*THE DESIGN OF THE EXISTING RAILWAY COACHES, HOWEVER, DOES
NOT PERMIT DIRECT CONTROL OF PASSENGERS AT ALL TIMES,
+DOORS ARE OPERATED MANUALLY AND EACH 12 CAR TRAIN HAS 48 EXITS. SO RELIANCE MUST ULTIMATELY BE PLACED ON THE PUBLIC BEHAVING SENSIBLY, HE SAID,
BY CONTRAST, HE SAID, THE NEW MODERNISED AND ELECTR IF IED SERVICE, WHICH WILL COME INTO OPERATION IN 1982, WILL ELIMINATE VIRTUALLY ALL THESE PROBLEMS.
IN PARTICULAR, ALL DOORS ON CARRIAGES WILL BE CENTRALLY CONTROLLED IN A SIMILAR WAY TO THE MTR AND PASSENGERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS IN TRANSIT, HE ADDED.
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