XN000022-1977-10-12 — Page 18

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1977

CANTONESE LANGUAGE IN COURT WELCOMED

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THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON. JOHN HOBLEY, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT WELCOMED THE USE OF CANTONESE LANGUAGE IN COURTS.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. T.S. LO ON THE GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT TO INCREASE THE USE OF CANTONESE IN COURTS PARTICULARLY IN THE SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL, MAGISTRACIES AND DISTRICT COURTS,

PROCEEDINGS IN BOTH THE SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL AND THE LABOUR TRIBUNAL WERE CONDUCTED IN CANTONESE, EXCEPT WHERE THE CONVENIENCE OF A PARTY OR WITNESS OTHERWISE REQUIRED, MR. HOBLEY SAID.

+ IN ALL OTHER COURTS, A PARTY OF PROCEEDINGS OR A WITNESS MAY SPEAK IN CANTONESE IF HE WISHES,+ HE ADDED.

MR. HOBLEY SAID THE THIRD REPORT OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE COMMITTEE EXPLAINED SOME OF THE REASONS WHY LAWYERS APPEARING IN THE COURTS USED ENGLISH AND PROCEEDINGS CONDUCTED

IN ENGLISH.

HE ADDED THAT IT WAS FOR THE SAME REASONS SECTION 5 OF THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ORDINANCE PROVIDES THAT PROCEEDINGS IN THE SUPREME COURT AND THE DISTRICT COUCT SHALL BE CONDUCTED

IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

+MAGISTRATES, HOWEVER,+ MR. HOBLEY SAID, +HAVE A CHOICE AND ANY WHO WISH TO DO SO MAY CONDUCT PROCEEDINGS IN CANTONESE WHENEVER THEY FEEL THAT IT IS PRACTICABLE AND HELPFUL.+

HE SAID THAT CANTONESE -SPEAKING MAGISTRATES HAD IN RECENT YEARS BEEN CONDUCTING MANY SIMPLER CASES IN CANTONESE.

MR. HOBLEY POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE GENERALLY ACCEPTED LIMITS TO THE USE OF CANTONESE IN ANY COURT AND SUCH INCREASE

IN ITS USE AS IS POSSIBLE WOULD COME IN THE MAGISTRATES COURTS.

+ THE REAL DIFFICULTY IS THAT THERE ARE NOT SUFFICIENT CANTONESE-SPEAKING MAGISTRATES, HE SAID.

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