XN000022-1991-05-15 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1991

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16

HOSPITAL AUTHORITY OFFERS DIFFERENT RENUMERATION PACKAGE

CIVIL SERVANTS WHO OPT TO JOIN THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY WILL NOT BE GIVEN A SIMILAR TREATMENT AS THOSE TO THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL

A SIGN-UP BONUS EQUIVALENT TO THREE MONTHS' SUBSTANTIVE SALARY.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON ELIZABETH WONG, WHEN REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON RONALD CHOW IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MRS WONG SAID IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE TO COMPARE THE TWO PACKAGES BECAUSE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE TWO EXERCISES WERE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT.

THESE DIFFERENCES WERE IN THE BACKGROUNDS, THE POLICY OBJECTIVES, THE TRANSFER ARRANGEMENTS, AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS WHICH THE TWO ORGANISATIONS OFFERED TO STAFF, SHE ADDED.

0

BILL TO ABOLISH DISTINCTION BETWEEN FELONIES AND MISDEMEANOURS

TWO

THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE (FELONIES AND MISDEMEANOURS) BILL

DISTINCTION BETWEEN 1991 IS DESIGNED TO ABOLISH A PURELY FORMAL CLASSES OF OFFENCES, FELONIES AND MISDEMEANOURS.

MOVING

SECOND THE

READING OF THE BILL (WEDNESDAY), THE ATTORNEY

IN

GENERAL,

THE LEGISLATIVE THE COUNCIL TODAY

HON JEREMY MATHEWS, SAID IN THE VERY EARLY DAYS OF ENGLISH LEGAL HISTORY, CERTAIN SERIOUS OFFENCES AGAINST THE PERSON AND PROPERTY WERE CONSIDERED TO BE SO HEINOUS AS TO WARRANT PROSECUTION BY THE SOVEREIGN WITH SPECIAL FORMS OF PROCEDURE.

INCLUDED THEY

WERB

MURDER, ALL

THESE OFFENCES WERE CALLED FELONIES AND

RAPE HOUSEBREAKING, MANSLAUGHTER,

AND LARCENY. PUNISHABLE WITH DEATH AND CONFISCATION OF ALL PROPERTY.

LESSER OTHER

CRIMES NOT CARRYING PROSECUTED UNDER LESS RIGOROUS PROCEDURES MISDEMEANOURS.

THE

PENALTY DEATH AND WERB KNOWN

WERE

AS

LAW

REFORMS IN THE 19TH CENTURY IN ENGLAND REMOVED THE DEATH THE FORFEITURE PENALTY FOR ALL FELONIES EXCEPT MURDER, AND MOST OF PROVISIONS ATTACHING TO CONVICTION OF FELONY WERE ALSO REMOVED.

OF

RESEMBLE

AT THE SAME TIME, SOME OF THE PROCEDURAL FEATURES OF TRIALS FELONIES WERE AMELIORATED SO THAT TRIAL OF FELONIES BEGAN TO TRIAL OF MISDEMEANOURS.

/THE DISTINCTION