XN000022-1984-05-30 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1984

MR THOMAS EMPHASISED THAT FAIRNESS WAS PRESERVED WITH THE NEW PROPOSALS.

+WE ARE SEEKING SOLUTIONS TO MODERN PROBLEMS THAT WILL NOT RESULT IN INJUSTICE,+ HE SAID.

+APPROPRIATE SAFEGUARDS ARE PROVIDED WITH RELATION TO HEARSAY EVIDENCE AND POWERS TO EXCLUDE CERTAIN EVIDENCE IS RESERVED.

MANY INTERESTED BODIES IN HONG KONG HAD BEEN CONSULTED ON THE PROPOSED CHANGES, SAID MR THOMAS.

+A MEMBER OF THE LAW COMMISSION OF ENGLAND AND WALES WITH WHOM I HAVE EXCHANGED VIEWS SAID THAT HE ENVIED THE PROPOSED UPDATING OF OUR LAWS AND HOPED IT WOULD NOT BE TOO LONG BEFORE THE UNITED KINGDOM FOLLOWED SUIT. IT SEEMS THEREFORE THAT WE IN HONG KONG ARE AGAIN IN THE FOREFRONT OF LAW REFORM WITH THIS BILL,+ MR THOMAS SAID.

HONG KONG ACADEMY - 'BEDROCK FOR ARTS TO PROSPER'

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THE HONG KONG ACADEMY FOR PERFORMING ARTS WILL PROVIDE THE BEDROCK ON WHICH THE ARTS WILL PROSPER, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON DENIS BRAY SAID TODAY.

DESCRIBING IT AS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD OF THE PERFORMING ARTS IN HONG KONG, MR BRAY SAID THE ACADEMY +WILL ENCOURAGE THE INTERACTION OF EASTERN AND WESTERN APPROACHES TO THE PERFORMING ARTS.+

THE ACADEMY WILL HOUSE FOUR SCHOOLS -- DANCE, DRAMA, MUSIC AND TECHNICAL ARTS AND THE IR CLOSE PROXIMITY WILL ALLOW FOR THE INTERACTION OF THE VARIOUS ARTISTIC DISCIPLINES, MR BRAY SAID.

IT WILL BE A MAJOR ADDITION TO THE TERTIARY EDUCATION

INSTITUTIONS OF HONG KONG.

MR BRAY SAID THAT THE ACADEMY WOULD SHORTLY ANNOUNCE ENROLMENT OF STUDENTS THIS YEAR, WITH A GRADUAL BUILD-UP TO ITS FULL COMPLEMENT OF 600.

IT WILL OFFER A THREE-YEAR DIPLOMA COURSE IN EACH OF THE FOUR SCHOOLS, AND THE ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION WITH GRADE E AND ABOVE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE, CHINESE LANGUAGE AND

· THREE OTHER SUBJECTS, AND THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE NECESSARY DEGREE OF ACHIEVEMENT OR POTENTIAL IN THE RELEVANT PERFORMING ARTS DISCIPLINE.

/MR BRAY