WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1985
22
RISES IN FEES CHARGES APPROVED
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SIX MOTIONS DEALING WITH RISES IN FEES AND CHARGES WERE APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
SPEAKING OF THE MAGISTRATES (FEES) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1985, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS SAID THE INCREASED FEES REFLECTED INFLATION SINCE THE OLD FEES WERE SET IN 1976, AND BROUGHT THEM INTO LINE WITH THE FEES CHARGED FOR SIMILAR SERVICES IN THE DISTRICT COURT AND THE HIGH COURT.
THE REGULATIONS HAD BEEN MADE BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE, REQUIRED THE APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL TO BECOME LAW.
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BUT
THE MATRIMONIAL CAUSES (FEES) (AMENDMENT) RULES 1985 MR THOMAS SAID, INTRODUCED A +BLOCK FEE+ SYSTEM, TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND REDUCE INCONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION.
INSTEAD OF A FEE CHARGED FOR EACH DOCUMENT FILED AT COURT, A LARGER FEE WOULD BE CHARGED FOR ALL DOCUMENTS FILED AT VARIOUS STAGES OF AN ACTION.
THIS SYSTEM HAD ALREADY BEEN INTRODUCED UNDER THE SUPREME COURT (FEES) RULES AND DISTRICT COURT (FEES) RULES, AND SO FAR AS THEY WERE COMPARABLE THE FEES WERE THE SAME AS THOSE FEES, HE SAID.
THE FEES HAD BEEN LAST REVIEWED IN 1976.
SPEAKING OF THE COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) (AMENDMENT) RULES 1985, AND THE COMPANIES (FEES AND PERCENTAGES) (AMENDMENT) ORDER 1985, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON G.A. HIGGINSON, SAID THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PROPOSAL WAS THE INCREASE FROM $1 000 TO $10 000 OF THE DEPOSIT PAYABLE BY A PETITIONER UPON PRESENTATION OF A PETITION FOR WINDING-UP UNDER SECTION 22A (1) OF THE COMPANIES (WINDING-UP) RULES, AND THE INTRODUCTION OF A MINIMUM FEE OF $10 000 CHARGEABLE UNDER THE COMPANIES (FEES AND PERCENTAGES) ORDER WHERE THE OFFICIAL RECEIVER ACTED AS LIQUIDATOR OF A COMPANY.
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+AT PRESENT, THE COST TO A PROSPECTIVE PETITIONER IS MINIMAL AND PETITIONS ARE FREQUENTLY PRESENTED WHEN THERE IS NO REAL HOPE OF MEANINGFUL DIVIDEND, HE SAID.
THE REGISTRAR GENERAL HAD ESTIMATED THAT 44 PER CENT OF THE CASES PROCESSED BY THE OFFICIAL RECEIVER INVOLVED TOTAL REALISABLE ASSETS OF LESS THAN $10 000, HE SAID.
/BACH LIQUIDATION