FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1963
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FURTHERMORE, THE REQUIREMENT FOR ALL WITNESS STATEMENTS TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY CERTIFIED TRANSLATIONS, REGULATED BY COMPLEX RULES IN THE PRESENT LEGISLATION, IS CAUSING SERIOUS DELAYS.
*THE COMMITTAL PROCEDURE THEREFORE HAS BECOME IN NEARLY EVERY CASE A WASTEFUL EMPLOYMENT OF COURT TIME. AND SERVES TO LENGTHEN THE PERIOD BETWEEN ARREST AND TRIAL IN THE HIGH COURT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID,
THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL, UNDER A CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (PRELIMINARY PROCEEDINGS ON AN INDICTABLE OFFENCE) BILL 1983 PUBLISHED TODAY, IS FOR AUTOMATIC COMMITTAL OF THE DEFENDANT TO THE HIGH COURT, AFTER HE HAS BEEN SERVED THE STATEMENTS OF WITNESSES AND COPIES OF THE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE UNLESS HE ELECTS FOR A PRELIMINARY INQUIRY. IN THE LATTER CASE, THE PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED WILL BE THE SAME AS AT PRESENT THE NEED FOR CERTIFICATION OF TRANSLATIONS OF WITNESS STATEMENTS WILL NO LONGER BE REQUIRED.
ALTHOUGH
TO HELP THE ACCUSED, LEGAL AID WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ELIGIBLE DEFENDANTS AT THIS IMPORTANT STAGE OF ELECTING WHETHER OR NOT TO AGREE TO AN AUTOMATIC COMMITTAL.
+THE BILL WILL THUS RETAIN THE RIGHT OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO DEMAND SOME FORM OF JUDICIAL SCREENING OF THE CROWN'S CASE AGAINST HIM, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, A DEFENDANT ELIGIBLE FOR LEGAL AID MÁY HAVE THE BENEFIT OF ADVICE PRIOR TO COMMITTAL,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE BILL WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON JULY 27 AND IS EXPECTED TO PASS ITS COMMITTEE STAGE AND THIRD READING ON AUGUST 3.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON ITS PROVISIONS CAN WRITE TO UMELCO, AT SWIRE HOUSE, 12TH FLOOR, CHATER ROAD, OR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBER, AT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG.
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MORE FLEXIBILITY SOUGHT FOR HEUNG YEE KUK
****
A BILL TO PROVIDE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO THE HEUNG YEE KUK IN MANAGING ITS PROPERTY WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON JULY 27.
AT PRESENT, THE HEUNG YEE KUK IS ONLY AUTHORISED TO ACQUIRE AND HOLD PROPERTY IN TRUST AND IS CONSTRAINED WHEN IT WISHES TO DISPOSE OF ITS PROPERTY.
THE PROVISIONS OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983 PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY (FRIDAY) SEEK TO ENABLE THE KUK TO SELL, LET OR OTHERWISE DISPOSE OF ITS PROPERTY AND TO MORTGAGE IT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIRECTIVES OF ITS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROMOTING ITS OBJECTIVES ONLY.
/THE COMMITTEL
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