WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1984
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MR THOMAS WAS REPLYING TO THE HON PETER WONG WHO WANTED
TO BE INFORMED ON THE CRITERIA IN DETERMINING WHAT WAS CONSIDERED AN ACCEPTABLE STANDARD OF DECENCY FOR PUBLICATIONS ON SALE AND HOW SUCH CRITERIA RECONCILED THE DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL STANDARDS IN THE MULTI-RACIAL CITY OF HONG KONG.
WHILE NOTING THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL, HE SAID THAT THE JUDGES AND MAGISTRATES IN THESE CASES MUST MAKE THE EFFORT TO COME TO A CONCLUSION AS TO THE COMMUNITY'S FEELINGS AND TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
STRESSING THAT CONSISTENCY IN APPROACH WAS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE, MR THOMAS SAID, THE EXPERT ADVICE OF A SMALL GROUP OF EXPERIENCED PROSECUTORS IN MY CHAMBERS IS SOUGHT AND IN THE EVENT OF A PROSECUTION, SUCH CASES ARE EITHER HEARD IN WESTERN OR SAN PO KONG MAGISTRACIES. AGAIN TO ENSURE THAT SO FAR AS POSSIBLE EXPERIENCED MAGISTRATES KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THESE MATTERS CAN CONSIDER THEM CONSISTENTLY.+
DISCUSSIONS HELD ON ROAD PROJECT
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECEIVED TWO LETTERS SUGGESTING AMENDMENTS TO THE CHA KWO LING ROAD CONSTRUCTION SCHEME, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR NICKY CHAN, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR CHAN WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON WONG LAM, WHO ASKED FOR INFORMATION ON THE PRESENT POSITION REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD.
HE SAID THE SCHEME TO CONSTRUCT THE REMAINING SECTION BETWEEN THE SHELL OIL DEPOT AND CHA KWO LING QUARRY WAS GAZETTED UNDER THE ROADS ORDINANCE IN JANUARY LAST YEAR.
+TWO LETTERS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PUBLISHED SCHEME WERE RECEIVED SUGGESTING AMENDMENTS TO MINIMISE THE EXTENT OF CLEARANCE REQUIRED, AS WELL AS REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TO BE CLEARED, HE SAID.
ARRANGEMENTS WERE STILL UNDER DISCUSSION THROUGH THE DISTRICT LANDS OFFICE AND KWUN TONG DISTRICT OFFICE, BUT PHASED CLEARANCE WAS EXPECTED TO COMMENCE IN JUNE OR JULY THIS YEAR TO ENABLE THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE TO START WORK ON SITE.
MR CHAN SAID THE PROJECT HAD ALREADY RECEIVED THE AGREEMENT OF THE PUBLIC WORKS SUB-COMMITTEE FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN THE 1984-85 FINANCIAL YEAR.