FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1986
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ANOTHER MAJOR REFORM IS INTENDED TO OVERCOME THE EXISTING ANOMALY UNDER WHICH DEFENDANTS CAN SOMETIMES FACE CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES FOR DEATH BY ACCIDENT UNDER BOTH ORDINANCES AND HAVE TO PAY OUT MORE THAN ONCE.
AFTER THE AMENDMENT HAS COME INTO EFFECT, ALTHOUGH IT WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE FOR CLAIMS TO BE MADE FOR DAMAGES UNDER BOTH ORDINANCES, THE DEFENDANT WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY MORE THAN ONCE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE LAW AMENDMENT AND REFORM (CONSOLIDATION) (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE ALSO APPLIES THE LAW RELATING TO CONTRIBUTORY NEGLIGENCE TO THE CLAIMS OF DEPENDANTS FOR DAMAGES ARISING FROM ACCIDENTS, HE ADDED.
ONE PROVISION OF THE LAW AMENDMENT AND REFORM (CONSOLIDATION) (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE IS NOT YET IN EFFECT, HE SAID. THIS WILL ALLOW THE AWARD OF PROVISIONAL DAMAGES IN CASES WHERE THE FULL EXTENT OF THE DISABILITY CAUSED BY AN INJURY CANNOT BE ASCERTAINED AT THE TIME OF THE COURT HEARING. THE COURT WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE A RULING ON WHETHER OR NOT THE DEFENDANT IS LIABLE TO PAY DAMAGES, BUT WILL BE ABLE TO DELAY MAKING A FINAL RULING ON THE AMOUNT OF THE DAMAGES UNTIL THE EXACT LEVEL OF DISABILITY IS KNOWN, THE SPOKESMAN SAID,
THE POWER TO AWARD PROVISIONAL DAMAGES WILL COME INTO EFFECT LATE THIS YEAR OR EARLY NEXT YEAR WHEN THE SUPREME COURT MAKES NEW RULES TO PRESCRIBE THE PROCEDURE.
RETAIL SALE SURVEY RESULTS FOR AUGUST RELEASED
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THE VALUE OF TOTAL RETAIL SALES IN AUGUST 1986, PROVISIONALLY ESTIMATED AT $6 041 MILLION, WAS 12 PER CENT HIGHER THAN IN AUGUST 1985 WHILE THE IR VOLUME WAS SEVEN PER CENT, ACCORDING TO PROVISIONAL RESULTS OF A SURVEY RELEASED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
COMPARED WITH AUGUST 1985, RETAIL SALES OF CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR AND ALLIED PRODUCTS INCREASED BY 23 PER CENT IN VALUE AND 17 PER CENT IN VOLUME. CONSUMER DURABLES AND OTHER CONSUMER GOODS+ WENT UP BY 16 PER CENT AND 14 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY IN SALES VALUE, WHILE THE IR CORRESPONDING INCREASES IN SALES VOLUME WERE SIX PER CENT AND EIGHT PER CENT.
RETAIL SALES