XN000022-1980-10-23 — Page 9

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER, 23, 1980

+WE ARE PROPOSING THAT THERE SHALL BE A PANEL OF LAY ASSESSORS, OR A TRIBUNAL AS IT WILL BE TERMED, WHO WILL CONSIDER APPEALS AGAINST REMOVAL MADE ON SPECIFIED STATUTORY GROUNDS.

+ THE TRIBUNAL WILL CONSIST OF PERSONS KNOWN AND RESPECTED IN THE COMMUNITY WITH FULL-TIME OCCUPATIONS, WHO WILL BE CALLED ON FROM TIME TO TIME TO CONSIDER APPEALS AS THE NUMBERS DEMAND.

THEY WILL WORK IN PAIRS, WHICH WILL BE AN ADDED SAFEGUARD

IF THEY FAILED TO AGREE, THE APPELLENT WOULD BE GIVEN THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, AND THE APPEAL WOULD BE ALLOWED, SIR JACK SAID.

CERTAIN MEN AND WOMEN ARE BEING APPROACHED WITH A VIEW TO THE IR PARTICIPATING IN THIS SYSTEM AND SIR JACK HOPED AS MANY AS POSSIBLE WOULD AGREE TO PLAY THEIR PART IN THIS IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE NEW MEASURES.

+THE IR WORK WILL BE CO-ORDINATED AND GUIDED BY A CHIEF ADJUDICATOR, ASSISTED BY A MEMBER OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE WHEN NECESSARY, HE ADDED.

SIR JACK FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT A RESOLUTION ENABLING PEOPLE CHARGED WITH FAILURE TO CARRY PROOF OF IDENTITY TO PLEAD GUILTY BY POST WOULD BE MOVED IN THE COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 5.

HE URGED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA NOW IN HONG KONG TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE THREE-DAY PERIOD REFERRED TO BY THE GOVERNOR AND TO REGISTER AT VICTORIA BARRACKS OVER THE NEXT THREE DAYS.

+EMPLOYERS SHOULD ALSO URGE THIS STEP ON THOSE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE AFFECTED - OTHERWISE THEY WILL BE OBLIGED TO DISCHARGE THEM AS THEY WILL HAVE NO ACCEPTABLE IDENTITY DOCUMENT,+ HE SAID.

THE NEW PROVISIONS FOR REMOVAL AND ADJUDICATION WILL COME INTO EFFECT ON OCTOBER 28, AND ON OCTOBER 30 ALL RESIDENTS OF HONG KONG WILL BE OBLIGED TO CARRY PROOF OF IDENTITY.

FROM NOVEMBER 3 IT WILL BE AN OFFENCE FOR AN EMPLOYER TO HAVE IN HIS EMPLOYMENT PEOPLE WHO FAILED TO PRODUCE PROOF OF IDENTITY.

SIR JACK SAID A TERMINATION CLAUSE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE LEGISLATION AS IT HAD TO BE ASSUMED THAT THE SITUATION WHICH IT WAS INTENDED TO GUARD AGAINST WOULD REMAIN A THREAT FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.

HE SAID THE FACT THAT THE POPULATION AS A WHOLE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO CARRY IDENTITY CARDS WOULD ALSO MEAN THAT PROOF OF IDENTITY WOULD BE NEEDED FOR THE TRANSACTION OF DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS WITH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

+ IN FUTURE, BEFORE ANY PUBLIC SERVICE IS MADE AVAILABLE, OTHER THAN SERVICES OF AN EMERGENCY KIND SUCH AS URGENT MEDICAL TREATMENT OR THE SAVING OF LIFE AND PROPERTY, PROOF OF IDENTITY WILL HAVE TO BE PROVIDED, HE SAID.

/GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS