XN000022-1977-11-10 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1977

HE NOTED THAT THERE IS ALWAYS THE HOPE THAT A BREATHING SPACE WILL ALSO ENABLE THE EEC TO REAPPRAISE THE MAJOR CONCESSIONS WE HAVE PROPOSED AND SEE THE BENEFITS THEY HOLD FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THEIR OWN ENDS.

REVIEWING HONG KONG'S TRADE PROSPECTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES, MR. DORWARD SAID A HONG KONG DELEGATION WAS NOW IN OTTAWA TO EXAMINE TENTATIVELY THE POSSIBILITY OF A NEW BILATERAL AGREEMENT FROM JULY 1978 SHOULD THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT DECIDE TO REMOVE ITS GLOBAL IMPORT RESTRICTION,

+WITH PAST EXPERIENCE IN MIND, ONE CONDITION HONG KONG WILL CERTAINLY SEEK IN ANY SUCH AGREEMENT IS AN UNDERTAKING BY CANADA THAT IT WILL BE ALLOWED TO RUN ITS COURSE AND WILL NOT BE ARBITRARILY TERMINATED BY ONE PARTY..

HE SAID THE NEW FIVE YEAR AGREEMENT WITH THE UNITED STATES WHICH WILL RUN FROM JANUARY 1, NEXT YEAR, WAS NEGOTIATED IN A FAIR AND BUSINESSLIKE WAY AND PROVIDED THE TRADE AT THIS STAGE WITH A SUBSTANTIAL AREA OF CERTAINTY IN AN OTHERWISE CLOUDY SITUATION,

IN THE OTHER MAJOR MARKET - AUSTRALIA WHERE WIDESPREAD IMPORT RESTRICTIONS ARE IN FORCE, HE SAID THERE WAS REGRETTABLY LITTLE SIGN OF THE GOVERNMENT DISMANTLING THE CONTROLS DESPITE

A FIRM RECOMMENDATION TO DO SO BY THE OFFICIALLY APPOINTED INDUSTRIES ASSISTANCE COMMISSION.

GOVERNMENT TO SET UP FREE LEGAL ADVICE SCHEME

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THE GOVERNMENT IS TO SET UP A FREE LEGAL ADVICE SCHEME TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE LAW SOCIETY, THE HON. ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR. JOHN HOBLEY, ANNOUNCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

THE SCHEME HOPEFULLY COULD START BY APRIL NEXT YEAR AND WITH THE HELP FROM CITY DISTRICT OFFICERS AND THEIR STAFF, WOULD INITIALLY BE PROVIDED AT TWO CITY DISTRICT OFFICES - EASTERN AND MONG KOK.

SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL POLICY DEBATE, MR. HOBLEY SAID THAT HE SHARED THE VIEWS OF THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN AND THE HON. PETER C. WONG THAT THE LEGAL ADVICE SCHEME SPONSORED BY THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE WAS VALUABLE BUT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH..

THE INCREASING