XN000022-1973-05-23 — Page 9

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Wednesday, May 23, 1973

TOUGHER LEGISLATION TO FIGHT CRIME

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Four Bills, which seek to introduce tougher measures against criminals,

were introduced in the Legislative Council today in support of the government's

effort to reduce violent crime in Hong Kong. Among other things, the Bills

aim at increasing the sentencing powers of magistrates and district judges,

introduce preventive detention for habitual criminals and at tightening the

mandatory eentence for possession of offensive weapons in a public place.

In moving the second reading of the District Court (Amendment) Bill

1973, the Acting Attorney General, the Hon. J. Hobley, told Council that it

was thought essential to enhance the powers of punishment of District Court

judges if more serious cases, presently tried in the Supreme Court, were

to be tried in the District Court.

It was therefore proposed to increase the maximum sentence of

imprisonment which a District Court may impose from the present limit of

five years to seven years.

Speaking on the Magistrates (Amendment) Bill 1973, Mr. Hobley said

in order to relieve the pressure on the District Court, it was proposed that

some of its cases should be transferred to the Magistrates' Courts.

To enable the Magistrates' Courts to deal adequately with such cases,

the bill sought to empower the Chief Justice to appoint Principal Magistrates

with enhanced power of sentence.

Initially, he said, it was intended that five such magistrates should

be available to deal with more serious cases.

These selected