WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1987
+AS I HAVE SAID ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, THIS LAW IS NOT INTENDED TO UNDERMINE THE RIGHTS OF THE FREE PRESS IN HONG KONG IN ANY WAY.+
+IN MY SPEECH IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHEN I INTRODUCED THE BILL, I MADE THE POINT THAT THIS CLAUSE WOULD BE USED ONLY AS A MEASURE OF A LAST RESORT AND, AS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S GUIDELINES HAVE MADE CLEAR, IN A VERY LIMITED SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES.+
HE SAID THAT AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT YET SEE A CASE FOR A REVIEW OF SECTION 27 OF THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE.
+BUT ORDINANCES CAN BE REVIEWED AT ANY TIME, IF THERE IS A GENUINE NEED TO DO SO AND SUCH A NEED IS IDENTIFIED.
+WE BELIEVE IN THIS CASE, IT IS BETTER TO SEE HOW THE NEW MEASURE WORKS IN PRACTICE. IF AT A LATER STAGE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WISHES TO REVIEW THE CLAUSE, IT CAN OF COURSE DO SO,+ HE ADDED.
JUDICIAL ABILITIES TO BE ASSESSED *****
NO SERVING OFFICERS FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR APPOINTMENT AS TEMPORARY MAGISTRATES AND DISTRICT JUDGES, UNTIL A CONSULTATION HAS YIELDED A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON TAI CHIN-WAH AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR THOMAS SAID THAT THE POLICY GOVERNING JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS WAS A MATTER FOR THE CHIEF JUSTICE WHO WOULD SHORTLY BE CONSULTING THE JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION ON HOW TO ASSESS THE JUDICIAL ABILITIES OF MEMBERS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS WHO APPEARED TO BE WELL QUALIFIED TO SIT ON THE BENCH.
+UNTIL THAT CONSULTATION HAS YIELDED A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION TO THE QUESTION, NO APPOINTMENTS OF SERVING OFFICERS FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS AS TEMPORARY MAGISTRATES AND DISTRICT JUDGES WILL BE CONSIDERED, HE SAID.
MR THOMAS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS HAD PROVIDED A VALUABLE SOURCE OF TALENT TO THE JUDICIARY IN THE PAST.
+1 AM SURE THAT IT WILL BE IN THE INTERESTS OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN HONG KONG FOR THAT TO CONTINUE,+ HE SAID.
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