XN000022-1975-05-21 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 1975

THIRD PRESIDING OFFICER FOR LABOUR TRIBUNAL

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THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON. JOHN HOBLEY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON THAT REMEDIAL ACTION IS BEING TAKEN IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID FUTURE DELAY IN THE HEARING AND FILING OF CLAIMS WITH THE LABOUR TRIBUNAL.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. WILSON WANG, HE SAID AN APPLICATION FOR A THIRD POST OF PRESIDING OFFİCER WAS UNDER CONSIDERATION.

MR. HOBLEY SAID SINCE JANUARY THIS YEAR, THE FILING WITH THE LABOUR TRIBUNAL OF CLAIMS PUT FORWARD THROUGH THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN DELAYED FOR BETWEEN 10 TO 14 DAYS BY ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND THE TRIBUNAL.

+AS MOST CASES IN THE TRIBUNAL COME THROUGH THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT THIS MEANS THAT MOST CASES ARE BEING DELAYED, + HE SAID.

HE SAID: +THERE IS OVERALL DELAY IN FIXING HEARING DATES ONCE A CLAIM IS FILED.

+THIS IS AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION, WHICH DOES NOT

ACCORD WITH THE CLEAR INTENT OF THE LABOUR TRIBUNAL ORDINANCE THAT CLAIMS SHOULD BE HEARD SWIFTLY. IT HAS ARISEN BECAUSE OF THE EVER INCREASING NUMBER OF CASES COMING TO THE TRIBUNAL.+

MR. HOBLEY SAID THAT THE SUCCESS OF THE LABOUR TRIBUNAL HAD BEEN EMPHASISED IN THE COUNCIL ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS AND THE SITUATION WHICH HAD NOW ARISEN STEMMED FROM THAT SUCCESS.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

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COMMODITY EXCHANGE PROPOSED ******

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THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, TODAY MOVED A MOTION IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SEEKING COUNCIL APPROVAL IN PRINCIPLE FOR SETTING UP A COMMODITY EXCHANGE IN HONG KONG.

DEBATE ON THE MOTION WAS ADJOURNED.

IN MOVING THE MOTION, MR. HADDON-CAVE TRACED THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF SETTING UP SUCH AN EXCHANGE IN HONG KONG, AND OUTLINED THE CURRENT PROPOSALS AND BENEFITS OF A COMMODITY EXCHANGE.

THE FULL TEXT OF HIS SPEECH IS AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION FROM THE G.I.S. NEWS ROOM, 6TH FLOOR, BEACONSFIELD HOUSE. COPIES WILL ALSO BE BOXED FOR COLLECTION.

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