XN000022-1991-04-12 — Page 5

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 1991

BILL REMOVES ARCHAIC DISTINCTION BETWEEN FELONY AND MISDEMEANOUR

JUSTICE (FELONIES AND

MISDEMEANOURS)

TO

ABOLISH

THE ADMINISTRATION OF BILL 1991, PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY (FRIDAY), SEEKS AN ARCHAIC DIVISION OF OFFENCES INTO FELONIES AND MISDEMEANOURS.

MISDEMEANOURS

IN ENGLAND, THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FELONIES AND

19TH BECAME LESS PRONOUNCED AS A RESULT OF CRIMINAL LAW REFORM IN THE

TWO CLASSES OF OFFENCE CENTURY. THE FORMAL DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE WAS REMOVED WITH THE ENACTMENT OF THE CRIMINAL LAW ACT 1967.

HONG KONG NOWADAYS MAGISTRATE AND OFFENCES

THE PRIMARY CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCES IN WAS BETWEEN OFFENCES TRIABLE SUMMARILY BY A TRIABLE BY A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE OR WITH A JURY IN THE HIGH COURT.

IT WAS CONSIDERED THAT MISDEMEANOURS NO LONGER ABOLITION OF CRIMINAL LAW.

DISTINCTION THE

THE DISTINCTION SERVED ANY USEFUL

WOULD SIMPLIFY

OF

PURPOSE,

AND

AND FELONIES AND THAT THE THE MODERNISE

THE DISTINCTION AND LAW OF EVERY

CLAUSE 2 OF THE BILL EFFECTS THE ABOLITION OF

THAT THE AND PROVIDES AND BETWEEN FELONY

MISDEMEANOUR PRACTICE APPLICABLE TO MISDEMEANOUR SHALL APPLY IN THE CASE OFFENCE.

CLAUSE 3 REPLACES THE CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENCES AS FELONY MISDEMEANOUR IN LEGISLATION WITH THE SINGLE TERM "OFFENCE".

AND

AND TO ACTS OF HONG KONG WERE ALSO

CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO OTHER ORDINANCES

IN FORCE IN

KINGDOM PARLIAMENT

THE UNITED PROVIDED IN SCHEDULES 1 TO 4 OF THE BILL.

0

+

LABOUR LAWS HELP IMPROVE WORKERS' LOT

末

IMPROVEMENT THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO BRING ABOUT STEADY

PAST 20 YEARS BY TO THE WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG'S WORKFORCE IN THE

LABOUR LEGISLATION, THE BUILDING

COMPREHENSIVE UP A COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR DARWIN CHEN, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

BODY OF

OF MEETING

THE PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON

LEVEL OF CLUB, MR CHEN SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY WAS TO ACHIEVE A

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH AND LEGISLATION ON

CONDITIONS OF

ΤΟ EQUIVALENT

THE BEST IN OUR NEIGHBOURING EMPLOYMENT

CULTURAL COUNTRIES WHOSE STAGE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL AND BACKGROUND WERE SIMILAR TO OURS.

BROADLY

"THIS

POLICY

ALSO

ENABLES

HONG

KONG

TO

MEASURE

UP

ΤΟ

MR CHEN SAID.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR STANDARDS,

/HE NOTED