XN000022-1978-07-19 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 1978

RECORDS OF THE DIFFERENT VIEWS WILL ALSO PROVIDE HELP. IN ASSESSING THE SUCCESS OF THE SCHEME, HE ADDED.

HE ALSC ASKED THAT EMPLOYERS BE REQUIRED TO ALLOW LEAVE TO THEIR STAFF IF NECESSARY DURING OFFICE HOURS, TO SERVE AS ASSESSORS.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN SUGGESTED THAT AS MOST EXPATRIATE MAGISTRATES ARE ON CONTRACT TERMS, PREFERENCE COULD BE GIVEN IN THE FUTURE TO RECRUITING THOSE WHO WOULD BE PREPARED TO ACQUIRE SOME PROFICIENCY IN THE CANTONESE DIALECT.

ANOTHER SUGGESTION HE HAD WAS FOR APPOINTING BILINGUAL LOCAL PERSONS WITH WIDE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE TO ACT AS MAGISTRATES ASSISTED BY A LEGAL ASSESSOR WHO COULD BE AN EXPATRIATE.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IN PROPORTION TO POPULATION, SINGAPORE HAS TWICE AS MANY LAWYERS AS HONG KONG AND EVEN WITH THE INCREASED INTAKE TO THE SCHOOL OF LA. AT THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY, HONG KONG WILL STILL LAG BEHIND SINGAPOPE..

HE SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD REVIEW THE PROELEM MORE SEARCHINGLY AND ASKED IT TO CONVINCE LOCAL LAWYERS OF THE GOOD JOB PROSPECTS AND JOB SATISFACTION IN THE JUDICIARY.

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL, MR. JAMES WU RECOUNTED THE HISTORICAL CONCEPTS OF LAW IN CHINA AND POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH CONFUCIANISM HAD BECOME GROSSLY INADEQUATE AS HUMAN RELATIONSHIP HAD GROWN INCREASINGLY COMPLICATED, THE VIRTUES IT PREACHED STILL HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON DETERRING CRIME.

+1 HAVE SAID THESE TO BRING TO MIND THE CHINESE CULTURAL HERITAGE AND ITS LONG-HELD PHILOSOPHY THAT 'LAW IS BUT HUMANLY THINKING' AND THAT YOU CAN JUDGE HIS BEHAVIOUR BY LISTENING TO WHAT HE SAYS'.

+ IN THE HONG KONG CONTEXT, DUE CONSIDERATION OF THESE FACTORS WOULD APPEAR TO BE ESSENTIAL FOR A SUCCESSFUL ADMINISTRATION, AND IN MODERN PARLANCE, FOR HELPING TO BRIDGE THE COMMUNICATION GAP, ALBEIT INDIRECTLY, BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE,+ HE SAID.

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