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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1986
+THE BILL WILL ALLOW THE PRODUCTION OF PHOTOGRAPHIC COPIES. RECENT COURT DECISIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM SUPPORT THE MODERN VIEW THAT THE FACT THAT A DOCUMENT IS A COPY GOES TO THE QUESTION OF CREDIBILITY NOT THE ADMISSIBILITY OF EVIDENCE,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
HE ADDED THAT THE REQUIREMENT FOR ORIGINALS, BESIDES BEING SEVERELY RESTRICTIVE, DID NOT PROVIDE A SAFEGUARD THAT WAS LIKELY TO BE IMPAIRED OR ERODED BY THE USE OF COPIES.
THE BILL IS EXPECTED TO BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 12.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO COMMENT ON THE BILL'S PROVISIONS CAN WRITE TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS IN QUEENSWAY GOVERNMENT OFFICES OR TO OMELCO AT 8 JACKSON ROAD, CENTRAL.
PROPOSED PENALTY HIKE FOR ILLEGAL MEDICAL PRACTICE
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THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR OFFENCES RELATING TO ILLEGAL PRACTICE OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY AND THE ILLEGAL SUPPLY OF ANTIBIOTICS.
THE PROPOSALS WERE COVERED IN THE PENALTIES FOR PRACTICE OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY BY UNREGISTERED PERSONS (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) BILL 1986 AND ANTIBIOTICS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986 GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY) AND WHICH WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 12.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE HEALTH AND WELFARE BRANCH SAID THAT THE NEED FOR THESE LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS BECAME EVIDENT FROM A COURT CASE IN DECEMBER 1984 IN WHICH THE OPERATOR OF AN ILLEGAL CLINIC WAS PROSECUTED FOR A NUMBER OF OFFENCES UNDER THE MEDICAL, DENTISTRY AND ANTIBIOTIC ORDINANCES.
THE POLICE ENQUIRY LEADING TO THIS CASE WAS THE RESULT OF COMPLAINTS BY A NUMBER OF PATIENTS, SEVEN OF WHOM HAD SUFFERED SERIOUS PERMANENT DISABILITY AFTER RECEIVING TREATMENT AT THE ILLEGAL CLINIC.
HE SAID THE CASE HIGHLIGHTED A NUMBER OF DEFECTS IN THE EXISTING LAWS. FOR EXAMPLE, UNDER THE EXISTING LAW, OFFENCES ARE ONLY TRIABLE SUMMARILY IN A MAGISTRATE COURT AND, CONSEQUENTLY, SUCH PROSECUTIONS ARE SUBJECT TO A SIX MONTHS' TIME LIMIT FROM THE DATE OF THE OFFENCE.
/IT WAS