XN000022-1973-09-07 — Page 2

-

Friday, September 7, 1973

ELIGIBILITY FOR LEGAL AID EXTENDED

More people will qualify for legal aid under the revised Legal Aid (Assessment of Contributions) Regulations, published in today's gazette.

Basically, the amended regulations extend the scope of legal

aid for civil cases to a larger number of people not previously eligible.

Those whose disposable income do not exceed $500 will pay a reduced rate of contribution, while people who own their flats will benefit by the increased allowance for the value of their dwellings.

Commenting on this aspect, the acting Director of Legal Aid,

Mr. T.L. von Pokorny, said the personal allowance for an applicant's dwelling house would be doubled to $40,000, after deducting the amount of any mortgage debt owing on the property.

For civil cases, he said, no contribution would be payable out of the first $1,500 of a person's disposable capital, as against $1,000 before. This would have the effect of reducing contributions payable by aided persons with a disposable capital of up to $3,000.

For example, before a person with $3,000 disposable capital would pay a contribution of $700, while the new rate would be $600.

Mr. Pokorny said the limit on a person's monthly disposable income to qualify for exemption of contribution towards his legal costs

had also been raised from $200 to $300.

"This will