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"Plans are also in hand for further public education efforts to counter abuse of intellectual property rights," Mr Selby said.
"IPD's computerised patent information centre is being developed and is expected to come on line in 1997-98," he added,
End
LRC proposes abolition of hearsay rule in civil proceedings
The Law Reform Commission (LRC) has decided to recommend changes in the rules governing the use of hearsay evidence in civil proceedings.
At present, hearsay evidence is generally excluded from Hong Kong courts, subject to certain exceptions.
The secretary of the commission. Mr Stuart Stoker, said today (Tuesday) that "hearsay evidence essentially means second-hand evidence. It is hearsay when a witness testifies to a particular fact on the basis of what he was told by another. Because this type of evidence was generally thought to be less reliable than first-hand evidence, the law generally excluded it."
Mr Stoker said that over time the exceptions to the hearsay rule had become more complex and unclear and there had been considerable criticism of the rule. He said the current trend in most common law jurisdictions was to move towards a system which admitted hearsay evidence but allowed the court to make up its own mind as to the weight to be attached to it.
At its December meeting last year, LRC decided to recommend the abolition of the rule excluding hearsay in civil proceedings. There should be no requirement for parties to a civil action to give prior notice of their intention to call hearsay evidence at the trial (as is the case under the existing law). Both first-hand hearsay and multiple hearsay (as when a witness testifies as to what A told him B said) should be admissible. The weight to be attached to hearsay evidence would be a matter for the court, and the commission have agreed that there should be statutory guidelines to assist the court in making this assessment.