XN000022-1982-02-15 — Page 5

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1962

WHILE THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT TECHNICAL MEASURES EXIST TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM, WHETHER BY PRICING MECHANISMS OR BY CONTROLS OR BY A COMBINATION OF THE TWO, THE REAL PROBLEMS LIE IN GAINING ACCEPTANCE OF THE NEED TO ACT NOW, TO TAKE MEASURES WHICH WILL UNDOUBTEDLY INCONVENIENCE ONE SECTION OF THE POPULATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE MOBILITY OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE AND FOR THE CONTINUING EFFICIENT WORKING OF THE ECONOMY.

+THE SUCCESS STORY THAT IS HONG KONG WILL MAKE IT PARADOXICALLY MORE DIFFICULT, BECAUSE THE ADAPTABILITY AND SURVIVORSHIP OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE SO OFTEN MADE GREAT PROBLEMS SEEM SMALL, AND DRASTIC MEASURES UNNECESSARY.+ MR SCOTT SAID.

SENSIBLE LAW SHOULD HAVE COMMUNITY INPUT, A.G. SAYS

****

SENSIBLE LAW SHOULD NOT BE LEFT ENTIRELY IN THE HANDS OF LAWYERS, BUT SHOULD ALSO HAVE AN INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY ITSELF, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR JOHN GRIFFITHS, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

LAW SHOULD NOT BE A MYSTERY. IT IS THE FRAME WHICH HOLDS UP SOCIETY IN WHICH WE LIVE.

+THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE WHEN CONSTRUCTING OR REPAIRING THAT FRAME FOR DRAWING ON THE EXPERIENCE, COMMON SENSE AND ABILITY OF MEN AND WOMEN OF AFFAIRS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE SOCIETY IN WHICH THEY LIVE, HE SAID.

MR GRIFFITHS, WHO IS ALSO CHAIRMAN OF THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION, WAS SPEAKING AT A COCKTAIL PARTY GIVEN THIS AFTERNOON FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VOLUNTARILY GIVING THEIR SERVICES TO THE VARIOUS SPHERES OF WORK OF THE COMMISSION.

MR GRIFFITHS SAID HE WISHED ALSO TO RECORD PUBLICLY HIS APPRECIATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS OF ALL COMMISSION MEMBERS.

THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION WAS SET UP WITH TWO PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES, HE POINTED OUT.

+FIRST, WE WANTED TO OBTAIN PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO REAL PROBLEMS. THE ONLY WAY TO DO THIS IS TO OBTAIN THE HELP OF THOSE WITH DETAILED EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE FIELD BEING STUDIED.

+SECOND, IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT THE VIEWS AND FEELING OF OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD BE REPRESENTED AND TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN SOLUTIONS WERE PROPOSED,+ HE SAID.

IT WAS FELT THAT THE BEST WAY OF TACKLING LAW REFORM SUBJECTS IS TO HAVE THE PROBLEMS RESEARCHED ORIGINALLY BY A SUB-COMMITTEE, CHAIRED BY A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION ITSELF, BUT WITH OTHER MEMBERS EITHER SPECIALISTS IN THE SUBJECT OR REPRESENTATIVE OF INTERESTED GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY.

/ALL SUB-CUM, ITTEE