XN000022-1982-05-24 — Page 3

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MONDAY, MAY 24, 1982

PRESS REPRESENTATIVES WHO WISH TO COVER SIR EDWARD'S TOUR OF THE HAWKER PERMITTED PLACE IN TUNG CHOI STREET ARE ADVISED TO LEAVE THE CONFERENCE ROOM WHEN THE GOVERNOR SITS DOWN AFTER ADDRESSING THE DISTRICT BOARD.

THIS WILL ENABLE THEM TO BE IN POSITION AT THE JUNCTION OF TUNG CHOI STREET AND SOY STREET BEFORE THE GOVERNOR'S ARRIVAL AT ABOUT 3.50 PM.

GIS OFFICERS WILL BE ON HAND TO ASSIST THE PRESS.

LEGAL AID NOW INCLUDES APPEALS TO PRIVY COUNCIL ******

LEGAL AID FOR APPEALS TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL MAY NOW BE OBTAINED FROM THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT.

MR BRIAN CLANCY, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT, SAID THAT WITH THE COMING INTO OPERATION ON APRIL 23 THIS YEAR OF THE LEGAL AID (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE AND THE RELEVANT AMENDING REGULATIONS AND RULES, SUCH AID WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR BOTH CIVIL AND CRIMINAL APPEALS BEFORE THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL IN LONDON.

HE CAUTIONED, HOWEVER, THAT SUCH AID WOULD BE EXTENDED ONLY TO THOSE +EXCEPTIONAL CASES INVOLVING MATTERS OF GREAT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE OR GRAVITY WHERE SERIOUS INJUSTICE MIGHT OTHERWISE RESULT.+

UNDER THE NEW REGULATIONS, A PERSON REFUSED LEGAL AID IN CONNECTION WITH AN APPEAL TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL WILL HAVE A RIGHT TO APPEAL TO A REVIEW COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY THE REGISTRAR OF THE SUPREME COURT AND COMPRISING A SENIOR BARRISTER AND A SENIOR SOLICITOR APPOINTED BY THEIR RESPECTIVE PROFESSIONAL BODIES.

MEANWHILE, THE DEPARTMENT REVEALED THAT IT RECEIVED CLOSE TO 20 000 APPLICATIONS FOR ASSISTANCE FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 31.

THESE INCLUDED 16 892 APPLICATIONS FOR CIVIL PROCEEDINGS, AN INCREASE OF 22.8 PER CENT OVER THE 13 754 APPLICATIONS IN THE PREVIOUS PERIOD, AND 2 853 APPLICATIONS IN CRIMINAL CASES, UP BY 15.2 PER CENT OVER 2 476 SIMILAR APPLICATIONS RECEIVED IN THE PRECEDING YEAR.

THE DEPARTMENT ALSO RECOVERED $32.5 MILLION IN DAMAGES FOR ITS AIDED CLIENTS IN THE JUST-ENDED FISCAL YEAR, COMPARED WITH $22.2 MILLION RECOVERED IN 1980/81.

REVIEWING THE OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT DURING THE PAST YEAR, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IN JULY 1981 THE PERSONAL ALLOWANCES THAT ARE MADE WHEN CALCULATING THE DISPOSABLE INCOMES OF APPLICANTS FOR LEGAL AID WERE INCREASED BY ABOUT 25 PER CENT.

THESE ALLOWANCES