XN000022-1990-01-08 — Page 7

MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1990

6

CONTINUOUS PROCESS TO IMPROVE LAW

THE PROCESS OF IMPROVING AND REFINING THE LAW WILL CONTINUE 1990, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR JEREMY MATHEWS, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

IN

THE

IMPROVEMENT ADMINISTRATION

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE LEGAL YEAR, MR MATHEWS SAID COMMON THREAD IN THE CONTINUOUS PROCESS OF REFINEMENT AND IS THE MAINTENANCE OF A PROPER AND EFFICIENT SYSTEM OF OF JUSTICE AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE RULE OF LAW.

IN THE LAW

OUTLINING SOME OF THE MORE IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS

BILL WILL BE INTRODUCED TO LIKELY TO EMERGE THIS YEAR, HE SAID

OF SPOUSES AMEND THE LAW REGARDING THE COMPETENCE AND COMPELLABILITY IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS.

HE

SAID

IN

THIS

MANY

REFORM OTHER

WILL COMMON

BRING LAW

THE

INTO

LINE

WITH

AND

REMOVE

LAW

DEVELOPMENTS

JURISDICTIONS OUTDATED, OFTEN ARCANE, RESTRICTIONS ON THE TESTIMONY OF SPOUSES.

A FEW ON THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION'S REPORT ON BAIL PUBLISHED

CORNERSTONE OF THE REPORT [S WEEKS AGO, MR MATHEWS NOTED THAT THE

IN STATUTE, POSSIBLY IN A THAT THERE BE A RIGHT TO BAIL ENSHRINED CODIFICATION OF THE LAW.

+

UP WITH THE RIGHTS SAID, "THE REPORT 18 BEING [ HOPE THAT RECOMMENDATIONS

*GIVEN THAT BAIL IS A TOPIC CLOSELY TIED AND LIBERTIES OF HONG KONG PEOPLE," HE CONSIDERED WITH ALL POSSIBLE SPEED AND WILL SHORTLY BE PUT TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.'

COMMISSION

13 AT PRESENT COMPLETING MR MATHEWS SAID THE ADMINISTRATION ITS CONSIDERATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE LAW REFORM REPORT ON CONTEMPT OF COURT PUBLISHED IN DECEMBER 1986.

OF

A CONTEMPT THE REPORT RECOMMENDED THE ENACTMENT OF ORDINANCE WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE PRINCIPLES PROCEDURES OF LAW IN THIS AREA.

COURT AND

HAS BEEN NECESSITATED BY THE THIS LENGTHY PERIOD OF REVIEW

WHICH HAS SERIOUS COMPLEXITY

CONTEMPT OF COURT OF THE LAW OF IMPLICATIONS NOT ONLY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, BUT ALSO FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN HONG KONG. HE SAID.

"SOME OF THE

WITH

MAJOR

ISSUES

UNDER

INCLUDE CONSIDERATION

WHICH PREJUDICE OR

AS WELL OF JUSTICE

AS PROCEDURES OF THE COURTS IN THIS

CLARIFICATION OF THE LAW CONCERNING PUBLICATIONS

THE INTERFERE

DUE ADMINISTRATION CLARIFICATION OF THE POWERS AND

MR MATHEWS SAID.

AREA,

ANOTHER AREA

OF DEVELOPMENT CONCERNS POWER OF CORONERS, WHICH IS A VITAL ASPECT OF JUSTICE.

AND THE JURISDICTION THE ADMINISTRATION OF

/MR MATHEWS