XN000022-1988-01-11 — Page 4

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MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1988

HE SAID THAT IN FUTURE, ENJOY A MUCH IMPROVED SECURITY

IT [S HOPED THAT MAGISTRATES WILL OF TENURE. AFTER AN INITIAL TRIAL PERIOD, WHICH WILL USUALLY RE THREE YEARS BUT MAY APPLY ΤΟ ALL. SERVING OFFICERS, A MAGISTRATE WILL BE APPOINTED UNTIL THE AGE OF 60.

AT THIS POINT, IT WILL BE DECIDED IF HE 15 PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY FIT TO BE EXTENDED, WHICH WILL USUALLY BE UNTIL 65, THOUGH

IT MAY BE EXCEPTIONALLY FOR LONGER.

THIS SAME SECURITY OF TENURE WILL APPLY TO ALL THE JUDICIAL OFFICERS BELOW THE RANK OF DEPUTY REGISTRAR AND STEPS WILL BE TAKEN TO AMEND THE LAW ACCORDINGLY.

HE REVEALED THAT THE PENSIONS OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIARY WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCED. MOST OF THOSE WHO ARE SERVING WILL BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY OF TRANSFERRING TO THE NEW TERMS, EITHER FROM THE SPECIFIED DAY, OR FROM THE TIME IN THE PAST WHEN THE MEMBER JOINED THE JUDICIARY, ON PAYMENT OF THE NECESSARY EXTRA

CONTRIBUTION.

THE LEVEL OF SALARIES, WHICH THE CHIEF JUSTICE BELIEVES ΤΟ RE THE MOST SENSITIVE 1SSUE IN THE JUDICIARY AND ONE WHICH HAS A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE RECRUITMENT OF ITS MEMBERS, WILL BE, IN PUTURE, ASSESSED BY THE NEW JUDICIAL SALARIES COMMISSION.

HE WENT ON TO SAY: "WE HOPE THAT, IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, THOSE PROPOSALS WILL BE PUT ΤΟ THE NEW COMMITTEE, WITH SUCH CONSEQUENTIAL CHANGES AS ARK SEEN TO BE NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE OUR MAIN OBJECTIVE, WHICH IS A SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT SERVICE,"

THE

THE CHIEF JUSTICE DISCLOSED THAT THE BULK OF THESE PROPOSALS, IN OUTLINE AS WELL AS IN MUCH DETAIL, HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED WITH APPROPRIATE CHINESE AUTHORITIES FOR AN EXPRESSION OF THEIR VIEWS.

IN

I AM GLAD TO TELL YOU THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ENDORSED PRINCIPLE AND THAT WE CAN PROCEED WITH THE NECESSARY ALTERATIONS, KNOWING THAT THEY WILL, IN DUE COURSE, BE CARRIED FULLY INTO EFFECT BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES, AS WELL AS BY THOSE IN CHARGE OF HONG KONG AFFAIRS FOR THE NEXT NINE YEARS OR SO.“

SIR DENYS SAID: I SHOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THESE CHANGES ΤΟ THE PRESENT PRACTICE, WHICH ARE FAR MORE THAN MERELY COSMETIC, WILL PRODUCE AN ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH A HONG KONG JUDH FAL SERVICE WILL OPERATE EFFECTIVELY AND INDEPENDENTLY IN THE FUTURE.

"

COMMENTING ON THE SUBJECT OF LOCALISATION, THE CHIEF JUSTICE SAID THAT IN THE PAST, SUCCESSFUL PRACTITIONERS HAVE BREN RELUCTANT TO ABANDON THE GREATER FINANCIAL REWARDS, AND THE PERSONAL FREEDOM, OF PRIVATE PRACTICE, FOR THE BENCH. HE THOUGHT THAT CHANCE THAT THIS WILL CHANGE.

THERE IS

A GOOD

/"WE WERE