XN000022-1977-11-10 — Page 4

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1977

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+ THE INCREASING COMPLEXITY OF LIFE MAKES IT A MATTER OF URGENT NECESSITY TO BRING BASIC LEGAL ADVICE IN CIVIL MATTERS WITHIN THE REACH OF MORE PEOPLE MORE READILY, HE SAID, ADDING THAT THE NEW SCHEME WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD''

ELABORATING ON THE DETAILS OF THE NEW SCHEME, MR. HOBLEY SAID THAT SUBJECT TO THE AGREEMENT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, SUBVENTION WOULD BE MADE FROM THE PUBLIC FUNDS TO ENABLE THE LAW SOCIETY TO ESTABLISH AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANISATION TO MANAGE THE SCHEME.

+THAT WILL BE THE LIMIT OF THE CONTRIBUTION FROM PUBLIC FUNDS, AND I MUST MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THERE IS NO PROSPECT OF THE PROVISION OF FURTHER PUBLIC FUNDS IN THIS FIELD,+ HE STRESSED.

LAWYERS WILL, AS IN THE SCHEME PROVIDED BY THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE, GIVE THEIR SERVICES VOLUNTARILY AND WITHOUT REWARD WHILE THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT WOULD ARRANGE FOR THE NECESSARY CLERICAL ASSISTANCE AND INTERPRETATION FACILITIES, MR. HOBLEY EXPLAINED.

+THE FREE LEGAL ADVICE SERVICE WILL INITIALLY BE PROVIDED AT EACH CENTRE ON ONE EVENING A WEEK, WHEN THERE WILL BE THREE LAWYERS AT EACH CENTRE.+

+THIS IS OF COURSE A MODEST BEGINNING BUT THE LEGAL PROFESSION'S FIRM ADVICE TO THE GOVERNMENT IS THAT WE SHOULD START SLOWLY. ONCE EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN GAINED, AND THE NEW

MACHINERY SETTLED DOWN, WE HOPE THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF EVENINGS WHEN THE SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED AND EXTEND IT TO OTHER CITY DISTRICT OFFICES,+ MR. HOBLEY SAID.

HE STRESSED THAT THE NEW SCHEME WOULD NOT IN ANY WAY AFFECT THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO THE LEGAL AID SCHEME ADMINISTERED BY THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT, AS THERE WAS A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN THEM.

+THE LEGAL AID SCHEME PROVIDES SUBSIDISED LEGAL ASSISTANCE IN COURT PROCEEDINGS FOR PERSONS OF LIMITED MEANS. THE NEW SHCEME IS CONCERNED WITH LEGAL ADVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE PRELIMINARY TO LITIGATION, + HE NOTED.

COMMENTING ON MR. CHEONG-LEEN'S SUGGESTION TO RECRUIT MORE CHINESE-SPEAK ING MAGISTRATES, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID, +EVERYONE AGREES ON THE DESIRABILITY OF THAT AND THE REASON IS THAT MAGISTRATES WHO SPEAK CANTONESE WILL ALMOST ALWAYS BE HONG KONG PEOPLE, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT IN ITSELF. HOWEVER, WE MUST NOT THINK THAT TO HAVE CHINESE-SPEAKING MAGISTRATES MEANS THAT COURT PROCEEDINGS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN CHINESE. THAT IS A QUITE SEPARATE MATTER.+

+ANY LAWYER TRAINED IN THE LAW IN ENGLISH, AND SO TRAINED IN THE ENGLISH LEGAL SYSTEM, FINDS IT DIFFICULT TO WORK IN THE CHINESE LANGUAGE, AND SAVE IN THE SIMPLEST OF CASES PREFER NOT TO AND DOES NOT, HE ADDED.

/FOR THE SME