XN000022-1980-03-27 — Page 16

THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1980

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HIS PROPOSALS CONCERNED THE EARLY EXPANSION OF THE LEGAL ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE SCHEME AND AIR-CONDITIONING OF AMBULANCES.

ON THE FIRST PROPOSAL, MR WONG RECALLED HIS PLEA IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LAST NOVEMBER FOR $6 MILLION TO RUN EIGHT LEGAL ADVICE BUREAUS AND OFFER LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN ALL THE EIGHT MAGISTRACIES IN HONG KONG, IN ORDER TO MEET THE EXPANSION ENVISAGED.

HE ALSO REFERRED TO THE GOVERNOR'S STATEMENT THAT THE QUESTION OF EXPANSION WOULD BE REVIEWED AT THE END OF 1979.

HOWEVER, HE SAID, HE HAD TO CONFESS HIS DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN HE NOTED THAT IN THIS YEAR'S DRAFT ESTIMATES ONLY $3.6 MILLION WAS PROPOSED FOR THIS SERVICE.

THE PROVISION WAS TO COVER THE COST OF RUNNING FIVE ADVICE BUREAUS AND OFFERING FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE AT FOUR MAGISTRACIES AN INCREASE OF TWO MORE ADVICE BUREAUS AND ONE MORE MAGISTRACY WITHIN THE SCHEME AS COMPARED WITH THIS YEAR'S TOTAL.

AS FOR LAST YEAR, ALTHOUGH THE APPROVED ESTIMATE PLUS SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATIONS AMOUNTED TO $3.2 MILLION, ONLY $2.5 MILLION WAS ACTUALLY INCURRED, REPRESENTING A NET SAVING OF $700 000,

+THIS SAVING PLUS THE PROPOSED $3.6 MILLION FOR THE CURRENT YEAR AMOUNT TO $4.3 MILLION.

+ONLY $1.6 MILLION IS ALL THAT IS NEEDED TO MAKE UP THE SUM OF $6 MILLION WHICH, EVEN AT 1980 PRICES, WOULD PERMIT THE LAW SOCIETY TO RUN EIGHT LEGAL ADVICE BUREAUS AND OFFER FREE LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN ALL THE EIGHT MAGISTRACIES IN HONG KONG TO ALL PEOPLE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH SCHEDULED OFFENCES,+ MR WONG SAID.

AS FAR AS FREE LEGAL REPRESENTATION IS CONCERNED, THE CRUX OF THE MATTER IS THAT UNLESS ALL THE EIGHT MAGISTRACIES ARE COVERED BY THE SCHEME, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD FIND IT DIFFICULT TO COUNTER ALLEGATIONS OF DISCRIMINATION AND UNFAIR TREATMENT BY THOSE WHO ARE UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE CHARGED IN A MAGISTRACY WHERE FREE LEGAL REPRESENTATION IS NOT AVAILABLE.

+WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO OFFER FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE IN ALL THE EIGHT MAGISTRACIES AND I CAN SEE NO LOGICAL REASONS WHY THIS SHOULD NOT BE IMPLEMENTED FORTHWITH.

+THE URGENT NEED FOR THE PROPOSED EXPANSION CANNOT BE OVER-EMPHASISED AND I WOULD STRONGLY URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO REVISE THE ESTIMATE TO $6 MILLION,+ HE SAID.

ON THE SUBJECT OF AIR-CONDITIONING OF AMBULANCES, MR WONG DREW ATTENTION TO THE PROVISION OF $9.75 MILLION IN THE ESTIMATES FOR THE PURCHASE OF 50 NEW AMBULANCES AND ANOTHER $60 000 FOR TWO AIR-CONDITIONING UNITS FOR AMBULANCES FOR TRIAL PURPOSES.

SINCE THE GOVERNMENT HAS ANTICIPATED POSSIBLE TECHNICAL COMPLICATIONS IN INSTALLING AIR-CONDITIONING UNITS IN EXISTING VEHICLES, MR WONG POINTED OUT THAT IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF PUBLIC MONEY TO EMBARK ON A PROJECT THAT MAY PROVE TO BE COMPLICATED

IF NOT UNSATISFACTORY.

/HE SUGGESTED: