XN000022-1983-09-30 — Page 2

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1983

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MORE PEOPLE GET LEGAL HELP

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GROWING NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE RECEIVING FREE LEGAL AID THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT-SUBVENTED LEGAL ADVICE AND DUTY LAWYER SCHEMES, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, WAS TOLD THIS (FRIDAY) EVENING.

SIR EDWARD WAS ATTENDING THE ANNUAL DINNER AT THE UNITED SERVICES RECREATION CLUB HOSTED BY THE LAW SOCIETY, WHICH ADMINISTERS THE TWO SCHEMES.

UNDER THE DUTY LAWYER SCHEME, WHICH WAS STARTED IN JANUARY 1979. MORE THAN 25 000 DEFENDANTS IN MAGISTRACY COURTS HAVE RECEIVED FREE LEGAL REPRESENTATION. IN THE FIRST SEVEN MONTHS OF THIS YEAR ALONE, 8 210 DEFENDANTS BENEFITED FROM THE SCHEME.

THESE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE FOR DEFENDANTS FACING CHARGES IN MAGISTRACY COURTS FOR ANY OF NINE CRIMINAL OFFENCES, RANGING FROM MEMBERSHIP OF AN UNLAWFUL SOCIETY, OBSTRUCTING OR ASSAULTING POLICE OFFICERS AND RESISTING ARREST TO POSSESSION OF DANGEROUS DRUGS AND OFFENSIVE WEAPONS.

THESE OFFENCES HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR COVERAGE FOR TWO MAIN REASONS: THERE ARE RARELY CIVILIAN WITNESSES INVOLVED AND OFFENDERS ARE USUALLY FROM POOR FAMILY BACKGROUNDS.

SOME 40 PER CENT OF TRIALS IN MAGISTRACY COURTS ARE HANDLED THROUGH THE SCHEME.

TODAY, THERE ARE 311 +DUTY LAWYERS+ SOLICITORS AND BARRISTERS WHO HAVE JOINED THE SCHEME'S PANEL FROM WHICH LAWYERS ARE ENGAGED TO REPRESENT OFFENDERS.

THE SCHEME, OPERATING INITIALLY IN ONLY THREE MAGISTRACIES HAD BEEN EXTENDED TO COVER ALL THE EIGHT MAGISTRACIES THROUGHOUT HONG KONG BY APRIL THIS YEAR. IN THE SAME MONTH, IT WAS EXTENDED TO ALL JUVENILE COURTS COVERING VIRTUALLY ALL CRIMINAL OFFENCES.

UNDER THE LEGAL ADVICE SCHEME, INTRODUCED IN NOVEMBER 1978, OVER 250 VOLUNTARY LAWYERS PROVIDE FREE COUNSELLING TO THE PUBLIC ON A BROAD RANGE OF LEGAL ISSUES.

SIX ADVICE CENTRES NOW OPERATE IN DIFFERENT DISTRICT OFFICES, WITH EACH CENTRE PROVIDING SERVICES ONCE A WEEK BETWEEN 6.30 PM AND 9.00 PM. TWO MORE CENTRES WILL BE SET UP NEXT YEAR.

SO FAR MORE THAN 10 000 PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED LEGAL ADVICE UNDER THE SCHEME.

REFLECTING THEIR STEADY EXPANSION, THE ANNUAL BUDGET ALLOCATED TO THE TWO SCHEMES HAS GROWN FROM ABOUT $2.57 MILLION IN FISCAL 1979-80 TO $16.5 MILLION IN 1983-84.

THE LAW SOCIETY AND THE BAR ASSOCIATION WERE HOSTS TO THE RECENT SEVENTH COMMONWEALTH LAW CONFERENCE.

THE CONFERENCE, ATTENDED BY SOME 2 000 DELEGATES FROM OVER 30 COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES, WAS THE LARGEST EVER.

/SIR EDWARD