XN000022-1990-11-14 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1990

"FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE BILL, A HONG KONG SHIP WILL BE ONE REGISTERED OR LICENSED IN HONG KONG.

"UNTIL JUNE 30, 1997, THE HONG KONG COURTS WILL, IN ADDITION, RETAIN JURISDICTION OVER CRIMES COMMITTED ON BOARD BRITISH SHIPS.

"IN SO FAR AS THE BILL MAKES REFERENCE ΤΟ BRITISH NATIONALS, IT WILL OF COURSE NOT BE APPROPRIATE AFTER JUNE 1997 FOR COURTS TO EXERCISE JURISDICTION BASED ON BRITISH NATIONALITY.

THE

"IN DUE COURSE WE PLAN TO LOOK AT SUCH REFERENCES IN ALL OUR LEGISLATION AND TO MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES," MR MATHEWS SAID.

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

NO GREATER SECURITY OF TENURE FOR MAGISTRATES NEEDED: JACOBS

THE

THE JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION WILL CONSIDER AND ADVISE CHIEF JUSTICE ON APPLICATION MADE BY A MAGISTRATE FOR RENEWAL OF

THE ACTING CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PIERS JACOBS, SAID CONTRACT, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN THE

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON J.D. MCGREGOR, SIR PIERS POINTED OUT THAT THE COMMISSION WAS AN INDEPENDENT BODY, THE DELIBERATIONS OF WHICH WERE, BY THEIR VERY NATURE, CONFIDENTIAL.

"THE

COMMISSION DOES NOT DISCLOSE THE CRITERIA IT ADOPTS IN MAKING ITS RECOMMENDATIONS," HE SAID.

SIR PIERS POINTED OUT THAT ALL MAGISTRATES WERE INITIALLY EMPLOYED ON A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT, WHICH MIGHT BE REGARDED AS A PROBATIONARY PERIOD.

WISHES

ΤΟ

"IF, AT THE END OF THAT CONTRACT, THE MAGISTRATE CONTINUE HIS EMPLOYMENT, AND THE JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION SUPPORT HIS APPLICATION, THEN THE MAGISTRATE, WHETHER EXPATRIATE OR LOCAL, MAY APPLY TO JOIN THE PERMANENT AND PENSIONABLE ESTABLISHMENT.

"THIS WILL GIVE HIM SECURITY OF TENURE TO THE AGE OF 60, WHICH IS THE NORMAL RETIREMENT AGE FOR MAGISTRATES, HE SAID.

SIR PIERS SAID THAT IF A MAGISTRATE CHOSE ΤΟ REMAIN ON CONTRACT TERMS, THEN HE COULD STILL APPLY AT ANY TIME ΤΟ JOIN THE PERMANENT AND PENSIONABLE ESTABLISHMENT.

"GIVEN THESE OPTIONS, IT IS NOT CONSIDERED THAT ANY GREATER SECURITY OF TENURE FOR MAGISTRATES IS REQUIRED, SIR PIERS SAID.

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