FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1988
"AT PRESENT, A HEARING BY THE FULL COURT IS REQUIRED, WHETHER OR NOT AN OBJECTION TO THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN MADE.
ASSOCIATION, SUPPORTED UNOPPOSED APPLICATIONS
"ON THE SUGGESTION OF THE MAGISTRATES BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE, IT IS PROPOSED THAT SHOULD BE DEALT WITH BY A MAGISTRATE SITTING ALONE, THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT.
ANOTHER PROPOSED AMENDMENT CONCERNING THE LICENSING PROCEDURES IS TO PLUG A LOOPHOLE THROUGH WHICH CERTAIN LICENSEES TEND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE THREE-MONTH PERIOD FOR THE PROCESSING OF THEIR RENEWAL APPLICATIONS SO THAT THEY NEED ONLY TO RENEW THEIR ANNUAL LICENCES ONCE EVERY 15 MONTHS.
RENEWAL
ON
"TO PROTECT GENERAL REVENUE, IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE OF A LICENCE SHOULD TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE DAY WHICH THE ORIGINAL LICENCE WOULD HAVE EXPIRED, HE SAID.
11
OR
UNDER SECTION 28 OF THE EXISTING LEGISLATION, THE REGISTRAR ANY PERSONS AUTHORISED BY HIM ARE EMPOWERED TO ENTER ANY PREMISES AND INSPECT BOOKS, ACCOUNTS, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ORDINANCE HAVE BEEN COMPLIED WITH, THE SPOKESMAN SAID,
RESTS
"AS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARRYING OUT SUCH INSPECTIONS IN FACT WITH THE POLICE, IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE POLICE SHOULD BE GIVEN EXPRESS POWERS UNDER THE ORDINANCE.
"IT IS SPECIFIED THAT THESE MAY ONLY BE USED WHEN THE POLICE HAVE A REASONABLE SUSPICION THAT THE MONEY LENDER HAS COMMITTED AN OFFENCE AND THAT THE DOCUMENTS SEIZED ARE RELATED TO THE OFFENCE.
"THE DOCUMENTS MUST BE RETURNED TO THE MONBY LENDER IF NO PROSECUTION IS INSTITUTED WITHIN THREE MONTHS, HE ADDED.
to
ANOTHER IMPROVEMENT BEING SOUGHT IS THE EXTENSION OF THE TIME LIMIT FOR INSTITUTING CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS FOR OFFENCES UNDER SECTION 29(3), RELATING TO FAILURE TO REPORT CHANGE OF PARTICULARS IN A LICENCE, TO TWO YEARS.
THIS WOULD ENABLE THE REGISTRAR TO INSTITUTE PROSECUTIONS FOR THIS TYPE OF OFFENCE WHICH NORMALLY DOES NOT COME TO LIGHT UNTIL THE SIX MONTH PERIOD APPLICABLE TO THE PRESENT LEGISLATION HAS EXPIRED.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE PRESENT LAW REQUIRED THAT CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS FOR NON-INDICTABLE OFFENCES MUST GENERALLY BE INSTITUTED WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF THE COMMISSION OF THE OFFENCE.
"EXPERIENCE REVEALED THAT THE OFFICIAL SECRECY ARE RESTRICTIVE.
EXISTING
PROVISIONS
GOVERNING
"TO ALLOW