XN000022-1984-11-08 — Page 12

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1984

+

ARRANGEMENTS ARE BEING MADE, SAID MR THOMAS FOR A SELECTED CORPS OF FULLY-QUALIFIED TRANSLATORS TO BE BUILT UP TO START WORK ON NEW LEGISLATION IN THE 1985-86 SESSION. THE INITIAL EMPHASIS WOULD, THEREFORE, BE ON CURRENT LEGISLATION BUT, AS EXPERIENCE WAS BUILT UP. THE TRANSLATION OF EXISTING LEGISLATION MIGHT GET UNDER WAY IN 1986-87.

+ THE AIM WILL BE TO HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE BEFORE 1997 AND TO HAVE ON OUR ESTABLISHMENT LAW DRAFTSMEN WHO WILL BE THEN BE DRAFTING ALL NEW LEGISLATION IN ORIGINAL CHINESE, IN ADDITION TO DRAFTSMEN DRAFTING IN ENGLISH. +

*

ON PROPOSALS ON THE TRIAL OF COMPLEX COMMERCIAL CRIME. MR THOMAS SAID THE PERIOD OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION WAS NOW COMPLETE, AND IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT THEY HAVE ATTRACTED A GOOD DEAL OF SUPPORT+. SOME OF THE POINTS MADE DURING THE CONSULTATION PERIOD HAD MERIT AND WOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN PREPARING REVISED PROPOSALS.

* ON +VIDEO NASTIES+ AND CHEAP SEX MAGAZINES, MR THOMAS SAID THAT PROBLEMS AROSE IN THE DEFINITION AND APPLICATION OF STANDARDS.

MR THOMAS SUGGESTED THAT A BROADLY-BASED TRIBUNAL, REFLECTING DIFFERENT CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS, MIGHT DECIDE WHETHER PARTICULAR ARTICLES WERE IN THEMSELVES OBJECTIONABLE. SECONDLY A QUICK AND SUMMARY METHOD OF PROVISIONALLY ESTABLISHING WHETHER OR NOT A PUBLICATION WAS OBJECTIONABLE PENDING A FINAL HEARING MUST BE DEVISED.

A SCHEME WITH THESE TWO AIMS WAS BEING EXAMINED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, HE SAID.

* ON THE LACK OF RACE AND SEX LEGISLATION IN HONG KONG, MR THOMAS SAID THAT SOME DISCRIMINATION INEVITABLY EXISTED BUT: +MY CONCLUSION IS THAT HONG KONG HAS PROGRESSED VERY WELL WITHOUT LAWS.+

ONE UNNECESSARY LAW IS A LAW TOO MANY, HE SAID.

+DO NOT LET US EMBRACE THE ALLURING SIREN OF RACE OR SEX LEGISLATION AND THE BUREAUCRACIES THAT GO WITH THEM.+

* ON +SPENT CONVICTION SCHEMES+ WHERE, AFTER A CERTAIN NUMBER

OF YEARS AN OFFENDER IS AUTHORISED TO SAY NOTHING ABOUT A CONVICTION PROVIDED HE HAS NOT OFFENDED AGAIN, MR THOMAS SAID THAT A CONSULTATIVE PAPER WITH FIRM PROPOSALS SHOULD BE PUBLISHED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

/+I WOULD