XN000022-1980-07-14 — Page 7

MONDAY, JULY 14, 1980

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MOBILE LEGAL AID OFFICE FOR NEW TERRITORIES

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A LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT +MOBILE OFFICE+, WHICH WILL VISIT THE MAJOR TOWNS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES WAS LAUNCHED TODAY (MONDAY) BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES.

THE +OFFICE+ IS A $120 000 FULLY AIR CONDITIONED VAN, DONATED BY THE ROTARY CLUB OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE VAN WILL SPEND MONDAYS IN TSUEN WAN, TUESDAYS IN YUEN LONG, WEDNESDAYS IN TUEN MUN, THURSDAYS IN SHEK WU HUI AND FRIDAYS IN TAI PO.

IT WILL BE AT EACH LOCATION FROM 10 AM TO 4 PM.

A PROFESSIONAL OFFICER OF THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT AND A LAW CLERK, WILL MAN THE MOBILE OFFICE.

MR AKERS-JONES SAID IT WAS ANOTHER EXAMPLE FOR ALL SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT TO RESPOND IN AS IMAGINATIVE AND INNOVATIVE A WAY AS POSSIBLE TO MEET THE MANY PRESSING PROBLEMS POSED BY THE RAPID GROWTH OF URBAN COMMUNITIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE FREE LEGAL ADVICE SCHEME, WHICH WAS PROVING SUCCESSFUL IN THE URBAN AREA, WAS RECENTLY EXTENDED TO TSUEN WAN.

MR AKERS-JONES SAID THAT IN DUE COURSE THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE OFFICES IN THE MAJOR POPULATION CENTRES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+BUT IN THE MEANTIME THE TRAVELLING LAWYER WILL BE THERE TO GIVE IMMEDIATE ON-THE-SPOT LEGAL ADVICE TO PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD A LAWYER,+ HE SAID.

ALSO PRESENT AT THE LAUNCHING WERE THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF LEGAL AID, MR T.L. VON POKORNY, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR ERIC WAI,

MR POKORNY SAID THE PROJECT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE BUT FOR THE +REALLY MAGNIFICENT GENEROSITY OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ROTARY CLUB.

HE SAID THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT WOULD STRIVE TO GIVE THE COMMUNITIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES A SERVICE COMPARABLE TO THAT RECEIVED AT ITS HEADQUARTERS IN HONG KONG OR KOWLOON BRANCH OFFICE.

+WE ARE SURE THAT OUR PRESENCE WILL MINIMISE HARDSHIP FOR APPLICANTS FOR LEGAL AID AND AIDED PERSONS.

+SOME OF THESE ARE SICK OR INJURED, WHILE OTHERS MIGHT LOSE A DAY'S WORK IF THEY HAD TO COME TO A CITY IN ORDER TO LOOK AFTER THE IR LITIGIOUS AFFAIRS, HE SAID,

/MR POKORNY