FRIDAY, JULY 6, 1984
9
THE BILL FURTHER PROPOSES TO ALLOW FOR MORE MODERN METHODS OF SELECTING JURORS.
INSTEAD OF DRAWING CARDS FROM BALLOT BOXES AS AT PRESENT, IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO FORM A PANEL OF JURORS BY RANDOM SELECTION WITH THE HELP OF A COMPUTER,
ANOTHER AMENDMENT SET OUT IN THE BILL EMPOWERS THE REGISTRAR OF THE SUPREME COURT AND THE COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION TO REQUIRE ANY PERSON TO SUPPLY INFORMATION FOR THE COMPILATION OF A FULL JURY LIST. UNDER THIS STATUTORY REQUIREMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE HONG KONG EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY WILL BE ASKED TO SUPPLY DETAILS OF ALL PEOPLE WHO HAVE PASSED ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXAMINATIONS AT THE REQUISITE LEVEL.
THE DETERRENT AGAINST EMPLOYERS DISCRIMINATING AGAINST THEIR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE OF THE IR JURY SERVICE WILL BE STRENGTHENED. THE EXISTING PENALTY OF $5 000 IS TO BE RAISED TO A FINE OF $25 000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR THREE MONTHS.
+
A JUROR WHO, HAVING ANSWERED A SUMMONS FOR JURY SERVICE, FAILS TO APPEAR OR WHO WITHDRAWS HIMSELF AFTER HE IS EMPANELLED, WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE JUDGE MAY ALSO BE CHARGED WITH CONTEMPT OF COURT.
THE JURY (AMENDMENT) BILL 1984, WHICH HAS THE SUPPORT OF THE JUDICIARY, IS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY (JULY 11) AND IS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE ITS THIRD READING ON JULY 25.
ANYONE WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON ITS PROVISIONS MAY WRITE TO UMELCO, AT SWIRE HOUSE, 12TH FLOOR, CHATER ROAD, OR TO THE REGISTRAR OF THE SUPREME COURT, AT QUEENSWAY, HONG KONG.
BILL PROVIDES LICENSING EXEMPTIONS ON GOODS
****
THE GOVERNMENT IS INTRODUCING LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS TO ENABLE CERTAIN ARTICLES TO BE EXEMPT FROM IMPORT AND EXPORT LICENSING REQUIREMENTS WHEN THEY ARE TRANSHIPPED THROUGH HONG KONG BY ELIGIBLE PERSONS.
THE IMPORT AND EXPORT (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL 1984 AND THE RESERVED COMMODITIES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1984 GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY), SEEK TO EMPOWER THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE TO GRANT EXEMPTIONS FROM LICENSING REQUIREMENTS WITH RESPECT TO THE TRANSHIPMENT OF CARGO.
ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRADE DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED THAT TO FACILITATE THE TRANSHIPMENT OF CARGO SUBJECT TO IMPORT AND EXPORT LICENSING, THE DEPARTMENT HAS FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS SIMPLIFIED THE LICENSING PROCEDURES, ON AN INTERIM BASIS, FOR FOUR TYPES OF TRANSHIPMENT CARGO: TEXTILES, PROCESSED AND MANUFACTURED FOODSTUFFS, ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS POWERED BY MAINS SUPPLY, PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS AND MEDICINES.
/THE PRESENT
+
Page 10Page 11