XN000022-1977-10-12 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1977

LEGCO HEARS SECOND READING OF MAGISTRATES (AMENDMENT)

BILL 1977 ****

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL TODAY MOVED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THE SECOND READING OF THE MAGISTRATES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1977, CONTAINING, TWO UNRELATED AMENDMENTS OF A PURELY TECHNICAL NATURE.+

THE FIRST, THE HON. GARTH THORNTON EXPLAINED, CONCERNS THE ADMISSABILITY OF TRANSLATIONS OF DOCUMENTS IN COMMITTAL PROCEEDINGS. +CLAUSE 2 AMENDS SECTION 81A SO THAT A STATEMENT WRITTEN IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH WILL BE ADMISSABLE IN EVIDENCE IN COMMITTAL PROCEEDINGS IF IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY AN ENGLISH

TRANSLATION CERTIFIED BY A PERSON APPOINTED BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE AS A TRANSLATOR,+ HE SAID.

THE SECOND AMENDMENT APPLIES TO THOSE CASES IN WHICH THE RETURN TO HONG KONG OF AN OFFENDER IS SOUGHT UNDER THE FUGITIVE OFFENDERS LEGISLATION.

+DIFFICULTIES HAD ARISEN+ MR. THORNTON SAID, +BECAUSE WITNESSES IN HONG KONG HAD BEEN RELUCTANT TO SWEAR AFFIDAVITS UPON WHICH AN APPLICATION FOR RETURN MIGHT BE FOUNDED. AT PRESENT SECTION 21(1) OF THE MAGISTRATES ORDINANCE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CASES INVOLVING THE RETURN OF FUGITIVE CRIMINALS.+

THE BILL SEEKS TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEM BY INSERTING A NEW SECTION 104A INTO THE ORDINANCE SO THAT A PERSON MAY BE REQUIRED TO APPEAR AND GIVE EVIDENCE IN PROCEEDINGS FOR THE RETURN OF A PERSON ACCUSED OR CONVICTED OF AN OFFENCE.

MORE STUDY ROOMS IN HOUSING ESTATES

******

THERE ARE PERMANENT STUDY ROOM FACILITIES WITH A TOTAL OF 7,956 PLACES IN 43 PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON. SIR DENYS ROBERTS SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

FURTHERMORE, 200 ADDITIONAL PLACES, IN THREE ESTATES, WOULD BE PROVIDED SHORTLY, SIR DENYS SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. WONG LAM.

+FURTHER EXPANSION IS UNDER CONSIDERATION IN THE LIGHT OF THE TEMPORARY SCHEME OPERATED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR, HE ADDED.

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