XN000022-1984-12-19 — Page 28

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19,

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+SINCE THEN, IT HAS BECOME APPARENT THAT THE FORMS ARE DEFICIENT. SECTION 7G OF THE MAGISTRATES ORDINANCE CLEARLY CONTEMPLATES TWO DISTICCT PROCEDURAL STEPS FIRST, A NOTICE OF IMPOSITION OF PENALTY, REQUIRING PAYMENT IN 21 DAYS FOLLOWED BY, IF NECESSARY A NOTICE OF FAILURE TO PAY THE PENALTY, REQUIRING PAYMENT IN 14 DAYS, FAILING WHICH A SUMMONS OR WARRANT WILL BE ISSUED, + MR FINDLAY EXPLAINED.

THE FORMS ORIGINALLY PRESCRIBED WRONGLY COMBINED THESE TWO

AND THE CURRENT RULES CORRECTED THE ERROR.

STEPS,

THE OPPORTUNITY HAD ALSO BEEN TAKEN TO AMEND THE FORMS PRESCRIBED IN CONNECTION WITH THE FIXED PENALTY (TRAFFIC CONTRAVENTION) ORDINANCE TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF RECENT AMENDMENTS

THIS ORDINANCE.

BILL TO CORRECT ARBITRATION ANOMALY

****

THE ARBITRATION (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL 1984 WAS TO PUT RIGHT A LEGAL ANOMALY CREATED IN 1982, THE ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JAMES FINDLAY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+ THE BILL THEN IS A MINOR, BUT USEFUL, IMPROVEMENT IN THE LAW RELATING TO ARBITRATORS, MR FINDLAY SAID, IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL.

+APPEALS WHERE A JUDGE IS AN ARBITRATOR OR UMPIRE WILL, UNDER THE BILL, GO TO THE COURT OF APPEAL AND SECTION 23A (OF THE ARBITRATION ORDINANCE) WILL NOT APPLY WHERE THERE IS A JUDGE- ARBITRATOR OR A JUDGE UMPIRE, SINCE HE IS COMPETENT TO DECIDE QUESTIONS OF LAW. +

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

DESALTING PLANT KEPT AS STANDBY ****

THE LOK ON PAI DESALTING PLANT WAS BEING RETAINED AS A STANDBY RESERVE AND THERE WERE NO PLANS TO DISMANTLE IT, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR JOHN TODD, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

ANSWER ING A QUESTION BY THE HON ANDREW SO, HE SAID THAT THE DESALTING PLANT WAS LAST IN OPERATION IN MAY 1982, AND IT WAS IN A+MOTHBALLED+ STATE.

THE ANNUAL MAINTENANCE COST OF THE PLANT WAS ABOUT $4.5 MILLION, OF WHICH $1.64 MILLION WAS FOR ELECTRICITY AND GENERAL MAINTENANCE AND ABOUT $2.87 MILLION FOR STAFF.

HOWEVER, WITH THE MOTHBALL ING+ COMPLETED, AND MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES PROPERLY ESTABLISHED, THE STAFFING LEVEL WOULD BE CONSIDERABLY REDUCED IN THE NEAR FUTURE, HE SAID.

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