XN000022-1977-06-29 — Page 14

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1977

LOCAL MAGISTRATES DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT LOCAL LAWYERS AS MAGISTRATES DESPITE FREQUENT ATTEMPTS TO DO SO, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DENYS ROBERTS SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION RAISED BY THE HON. T.S. LO, SIR DENYS SAID SINCE JANUARY 1 LAST YEAR VACANCIES FOR MAGISTRATES HAD BEEN ADVERTISED LOCALLY ON SIX OCCASIONS, AS A RESULT OF WHICH TWO NEW LOCAL MAGISTRATES WERE APPOINTED, ON THE ADVICE OF THE JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID, AT PRESENT THERE WERE NINE LOCALLY RECRUITED CANTONESE-SPEAKING FULL TIME MAGISTRATES SERVING IN THE JUDICIARY. NO ATTEMPTS HAD BEEN MADE TO RECRUIT PART TIME MAGISTRATES, HE ADDED.

NT HAWKERS ENCOURAGED TO APPLY FOR NEW STALLS

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BOTH LICENSED AND UNLICENSED HAWKERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY FOR THE MINI-STALLS WHICH ARE INCLUDED IN EVERY NEW MARKET IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HON. DAVID AKERS-JONES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

THESE MINI-STALLS ARE INTENDED FOR LEASING TO VARIOUS CATEGORIES OF HAWKERS OCCUPYING SITES IN THE SURROUNDING ROADS, HE EXPLAINED IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY REV. THE HON. JOYCE M. BENNETT.

MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THAT AS FAR AS PRACTICABLE, THE NUMBER OF MINI-STALLS WAS PLANNED TO CORRESPOND WITH THE NUMBER OF HAWKERS, BUT WHERE THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH STALLS TO CATER FOR THEM ALL, PRIORITY WAS GIVEN TO LICENSED HAWKERS.

LESSEES OF THESE MINI-STALLS MAY SELL WET OR DRY GOODS ONLY, HE ADDED.

THE SECRETARY POINTED THAT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES NO HAWKERS WERE LICENSED TO SELL MEAT, FISH OR POULTRY WHICH MAY BE SOLD ONLY IN PUBLIC MARKETS OR LICENSED FRESH PROVISION SHOPS.

HAWKERS CANNOT THEREFORE BE GIVEN PRIORITY IN THE ALLOCATION OF FULL-SIZE MARKET STALLS, AND IF ONE FALLS VACANT AT ANY TIME IN AN EXISTING OR A NEW MARKET, IT IS PUT UP TO AUCTION WITHOUT RESTRICTION ON WHO BIDS, HE SAID.

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