XN000022-1987-02-20 — Page 9

7

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1987

MR THOMAS STRESSED THAT HE WAS NOT INTENDING THAT PEOPLE WERE TO BE ENCOURAGED TO GO TO THE COURTS AT THE FIRST SIGN OF TROUBLE, AND COMMENTED THAT HE DID NOT THINK HONG KONG PEOPLE WERE LITIGIOUS BY NATURE.

+THEY WISH, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, TO SETTLE DISPUTES WITHOUT RECOURSE TO THE LAW IN A WAY THAT AVOIDS CONFRONTATION AND PRESERVES MUTUAL RESPECT. THERE ARE, HOWEVER, OCCASIONS WHEN RIGHTS HAVE TO BE ENFORCED IF THEY ARE TO BE ENJOYED.+

MR THOMAS SAID THAT SINCE JOINING THE GOVERNMENT HE HAD NOTICED A LACK OF LAWYERS IN DEPARTMENTS OUTSIDE HIS CHAMBERS AND THE REGISTRAR GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT.

WHILE IT MIGHT NOT BE NECESSARY OR ALWAYS DESIRABLE FOR GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO HAVE THEIR OWN IN-HOUSE PRACTISING LAWYERS, IT WAS SURELY BENEFICIAL FOR VARIOUS DISCIPLINES TO HAVE WITHIN THEIR RANKS PEOPLE WITH LEGAL BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCE.

+LAWYERS ARE TO BE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE RANKS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD AND I THINK THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVELY DISCHARGED IF THERE WAS IN HONG KONG MORE WIDESPREAD LEGAL KNOWLEDGE THROUGHOUT THE ADMINISTRATION, HE SAID.

ON HOW TO MEET THE NEEDS THAT AT PRESENT EXISTED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR GREATER PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES, MR THOMAS WELCOMED THE RECENT DECISION BY THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG TO STEP UP ITS INTAKE OF LAW GRADUATES FROM 125 TO 150 NEXT YEAR. HE ALSO WELCOMED THE PLANS OF THE CITY POLYTECHNIC TO ESTABLISH A SECOND GRADUATE LAW SCHOOL BY 1988.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IF HONG KONG WAS TO RETAIN ITS POSITION AS A LEADING INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL AND TRADING CENTRE, THERE WOULD BE A CONTINUING NEED FOR LAW FIRMS FROM OVERSEAS TO OPERATE IN THE TERRITORY TO SERVICE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL COMMUNITY.

HONG KONG ALSO NEEDED TO KEEP EXPERIENCED EXPATRIATE LAWYERS BECAUSE IT WAS STILL DEPENDENT ON THEM TO MAKE UP FOR THE SHORTAGE OF EXPERIENCED LOCAL LAWYERS.

+BUT THE THRUST OF POLICY MUST BE TO ENCOURAGE THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF MORE CHINESE SPEAKING LAWYERS TO MEET THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS,+ HE ADDED.

IN THIS, THE UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER TEACHING INSTITUTIONS HAD A VITAL ROLE TO PLAY. AND PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND PRESSING NEED WAS TO ENCOURAGE MORE OF THE BEST LOCAL LAW GRADUATES TO STAY ON TO TEACH LAW TO UNDERGRADUATES.

1

/8