XN000022-1982-06-30 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1982

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LAY MAGISTRATES COURTS HANDLE MINOR OFFENCES

HONG KONG RECENTLY SET UP LAY MAGISTRATES COURTS TO DEAL WITH MINOR OFFENCES OF A ROUTINE NATURE, WITH TWO FULL-TIME CANTONESE-SPEAKING LAY MAGISTRATES ALREADY APPOINTED, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON. JOHN GRIFFITHS, SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY.

CONSIDERATION MIGHT ALSO BE GIVEN TO A SCHEME SIMILAR TO A FIXED PENALTY SYSTEM FOR SUCH MINOR OFFENCES AS LITTERING AND ILLEGAL HAWKING, MR GRIFFITHS SAID IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. K.C. CHAN, AS TO WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER REVIVING THE JUSTICES OF PEACE COURT SYSTEM, TRIED HERE TEN YEARS AGO FOR MINOR OFFENCES.

DIFFICULTIES WERE EXPERIENCED AT THE TIME IN FINDING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WITH SUFFICIENT TIME TO ATTEND COURT REGULARLY, MR GRIFFITHS EXPLAINED, STATING ALSO THAT THE SAME PROBLEMS STILL EXISTED.

MR GRIFFITHS POINTED OUT THAT OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, PEOPLE IN HONG KONG HAD BECOME MORE AWARE OF THEIR LEGAL RIGHT TO DISPUTE ALLEGED OFFENCES IN COURT.

+ IF JUSTICES OF PEACE WERE TO BECOME INVOLVED IN OTHER THAN VERY STRAIGHT-FORWARD CASES, THEY WOULD BE LIKELY IN SOME CASES TO NEED THE ASSISTANCE OF LEGALLY-QUALIFIED CLERKS, HE SAID.

THIS WOULD INVOLVE RECRUITING TRAINED LAWYERS FOR THESE POSTS, HE ADDED.

PSYCHIATRIC NURSING

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OF THE 3 788 BEDS AVAILABLE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL, 30 ARE AT A SUBVENTED HOSPITAL, THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON ERIC HO, SAID TODAY.

THE COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE BASED ON THAT HOSPITAL IS ALREADY HANDLING DISCHARGED PSYCHIATRIC CASES REFERRED TO IT, HE SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE REV THE HON JOYCE BENNETT.

MISS BENNETT HAD ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD EXTEND THE PSYCHIATRIC COMMUNITY NURSING SERVICE TO SUBVENTED HOSPITALS WISHING TO FOLLOW-UP ON CASES.

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