XN000022-1980-02-14 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1980

NEW LEGAL AID SERVICE FOR NT

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THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT IS TO LAUNCH A MOBILE OFFICE IN EARLY APRIL, TO SERVE THE QUICKLY GROWING NEW TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES,

THIS NEW CONCEPT OF PROVIDING LEGAL ADVICE IS INTENDED TO SAVE RESIDENTS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES TIME IN TRAVELLING TO AND FROM THE DEPARTMENT'S OFFICES IN KOWLOON AND ON HONG KONG ISLAND.

THE DIRECTOR OF LEGAL AID, MR DESMOND O'REILLY MAYNE SAID THE SERVICE WAS ESSENTIAL TO KEEP PACE WITH THE ENORMOUS POPULATION INCREASES ANTICIPATED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES DURING THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

+THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS SERVICE WILL NOT ONLY EASE THE BURDEN ON OUR EXISTING OFFICES BUT ALSO BENEF IT THE POPULATION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES TOWNS,+ HE SAID.

THE ROTARY CLUB OF THE NEW TERRITORIES HAS PROVIDED THE VEHICLE - A BUS - AND THE CLUB IS AT PRESENT SUPERVISING ITS CONVERSION INTO AN OFFICE, TO FIT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT.

ALTHOUGH PLANS HAVE NOT YET BEEN FINALISED WITH THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, IT IS INTENDED THAT THE FULLY STAFFED MOBILE OFFICE WILL SPEND ONE DAY A WEEK IN EACH OF THE MAJOR RESIDENTIAL AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

IT IS PLANNED THAT THE OFFICE WILL CALL REGULARLY AT TSUEN WAN, TUEN MUN, YUEN LONG, TAI PO, FANLING-SHEK WU HUI AND SAI KUNG.

A DETAILED VISIT PROGRAMME WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE FREE LEGAL ADVISORY SERVICE ORGANISED BY THE LAW SOCIETY OF HONG KONG WILL BE EXTENDED TO THE NEW TERRITORIES, STARTING WITH PILOT SCHEMES AT TSUEN WAN AND TUEN MUN. THIS SCHEME WAS ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS MONTH.

THE POSSIBILITY OF OPENING PERMANENT LEGAL AID OFFICES IN THE MAJOR NEW TOWNS IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE FUTURE, BUT THIS WILL DEPEND ON THE SUCCESS OF THE MOBILE OFFICE SCHEME DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT.

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