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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1984
SIR DENYS SAID, THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THE PROVISION OF 30 COURTS, ON THE BASIS OF THE EXPANSION OF WORK WHICH WAS PROJECTED IN THE MID-1970'S. BY 1980, HOWEVER, SHORTLY BEFORE CONSTRUCTION WORK BEGAN, IT SEEMED LIKELY THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE SUFFICIENT FOR MORE THAN A FEW YEARS, AND THE NUMBER HAS BEEN INCREASED TO 36.+
HE POINTED OUT THE NEW BUILDING WAS 50 PER CENT MORE THAN WHAT THE JUDICIARY NEEDED.
BUT HE PREDICTED THAT HE AND THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, IN YEARS TO COME, WOULD BE +ACCUSED OF SMALL-MINDEDNESS, PENNY PINCHING AND LACK OF FORESIGHT IN NOT HAVING CONSTRUCTED A BUILDING WHICH WOULD TAKE A HUNDRED COURTS.+
ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING, HE SAID IT WAS DESIGNED ON THE + INVERTED MATCH BOX' PRINCIPLE DUE TO LAND SHORTAGE.
HE SAID, +WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS IMPOSED UPON HIM, I BELIEVE THAT THE ARCHITECT, WHO HAS BEEN SPLENDIDLY SUPPORTED BY THE CONTRACTORS, HAS PRODUCED A HANDSOME BUILDING, EVEN IF IT LACKS THE ECCENTRIC GRANDEUR OF ITS PREDECESSOR.+
AS FOR THE INTERIOR, HE SAID ALL THOSE WORKING OR APPEARING IN THE BUILDING AS PARTIES OR WITNESSES WOULD FIND IT COMFORTABLE AND CONVENIENT AS MUCH CARE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO ENSURE THEIR NEEDS WOULD BE MET.
THE LAYOUT OF THE COURTROOMS HAD BEEN DECIDED AFTER FULL CONSULTATION WITH THE JUDGES AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BAR AND LAW SOCIETY, WHO WERE INVITED TO OFFER THEIR COMMENTS ON A MODEL COURTROOM WHICH WAS FABRICATED FOR THIS PURPOSE A YEAR AGO.
COMPARED WITH THE COURTROOMS IN THE OLD SUPREME COURT BUILDING AT JACKSON ROAD, THE NEW ONES HAD BEEN CONSIDERABLY IMPROVED IN TERMS OF LIGHTING, ACOUSTICS AND COMFORT, HE SAID.
ON THE PROVISION FOR THE BAR, SIR DENYS SAID, +IN MANY IMPORTANT RESPECTS, THE PERFORMANCE OF JUDGES IS CONDITIONED BY
IT IS THUS IN THE INTERESTS THE ABILITY AND CHARACTER OF THE BAR.
OF THE JUDICIARY THAT WE SHOULD DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO FOSTER THE INTERESTS OF THE BAR AND THE FACILITIES WHICH ARE AVAILABLE TO IT IN THIS BUILDING ARE A RECOGNITION OF ITS IMPORTANCE.+
BESIDES A SPACIOUS ROBING ROOM WITH SEPARATE CHANGING FACILITIES FOR MEN AND WOMEN, A LARGE AREA HAD BEEN SET ASIDE FOR THE USE OF THE BAR WHICH HAD ESTABLISHED A LIBRARY AND SECRETARIAT.
SIR DENYS THANKED ALL THOSE WHO HAD INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND PREPARATION OF THE NEW BUILDING.
AFTER THE SPEECHES, SIR EDWARD UNVEILED A COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE.
/ACCOMPANIED BY .......