XN000022-1987-03-14 — Page 6

SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 1987

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BUSY YEAR FOR PUBLIC ENQUIRY SERVICE CENTRES

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MORE THAN 15 MILLION ENQUIRIES AND TELEPHONE CALLS SEEKING ADVICE AND INFORMATION WERE RECEIVED THROUGH THE 67 PUBLIC ENQUIRY SERVICE (PES) CENTRES OF THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION DURING THE 1986 CALENDAR YEAR.

THIS REPRESENTED AN INCREASE OF NINE PER CENT COMPARED WITH THE 13.9 MILLION HANDLED IN 1985, A CNTA SPOKESMAN SAID.

+THERE WERE MORE THAN 6.1 MILLION ENQUIRIES AND 9.117 MILLION FORMS AND INFORMATION LEAFLETS WERE DISTRIBUTED, HE SAID.

+OF THE SIX MILLION ENQUIRIES, FIVE POPULAR SUBJECTS BEING ASKED RANGED FROM GOVERNMENT JOB VACANCIES (237 000 OR 3.9 PER CENT) LOCATION, TELEPHONE NUMBER AND OPENING HOURS OF GOVERNMENT OFFICES (152 000 OR 3.6 PER CENT); DISTRICT FUNCTIONS (233 000 OR 3.8 PER CENT); PROCUREMENT OF POSTERS, PAMPHLETS AND FORMS ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS (206 000 OR 3.4 PER CENT) AND STATUTORY DECLARATION OR OATHS (184 000 OR 3 PER CENT),+ HE EXPLAINED.

+LOCATED IN ALL 19 DISTRICTS, THE 67 PES CENTRES PROVIDE SERVICES SUCH AS ADMINISTERING STATUTORY DECLARATIONS, GIVING ADVICE ON GOVERNMENT SERVICES, DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS DISTRIBUTING GOVERNMENT FORMS AND LEAFLETS AND IN SOME CENTRES ALSO DEALING WITH LEGAL AND RENTAL PROBLEMS.

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+MORE THAN 500 000 STATUTORY DECLARATIONS WERE ADMINISTERED DURING THE YEAR WHICH SHOWED A SLIGHT INCREASE OF 4.1 PER CENT COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THESE MAINLY WERE FOR DECLARATION OF TRUE COPIES, APPLICATION FOR SCHOLARSHIPS-GRANTS AND EDUCATION AND EXAMINATIONS, + HE NOTED.

THE SPOKESMAN ALSO NOTED THAT UNDER THE FREE LEGAL ADVICE SCHEME+, A TOTAL OF 3 119 CASES WERE REFERRED TO THE HONG KONG LAW SOCIETY, OF WHICH 2 991 CASES WERE HANDLED BY THE SOCIETY'S SOLICITORS AND 309 WERE SUBSEQUENTLY REFERRED TO THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT FOR ASSISTANCE,

+IN ADDITION, 12 059 PEOPLE CONSULTED THE RENT OFFICERS OF THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT STATIONED AT 12 DISTRICT OFFICES (10 IN URBAN AND TWO IN THE NEW TERRITORIES) FOR ADVICE ON RENTAL AND TENANCY PROBLEMS, + HE ADDED.

FURTHER INFORMATION MAY ALSO BE OBTAINED FROM THE PUBLIC ENQUIRY SERVICE SECTION AT CNTA HEADQUARTERS ON THE 13TH FLOOR OF WORLD SHIPPING CENTRE, 7 CANTON ROAD, TSIM SHA TSUI, OR ON 3-692255.

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