ADVOCATES AND SOLICITORS (AMENDMENT) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

3.40 p.m.

The Minister for Labour and Law (Mr K. M. Byrne): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

This is a short Bill which seeks to provide that a person who has passed the final examination for the degree of Bachelor of Laws in the University of Malaya shall be regarded as a qualified person for the purposes of the Advocates and Solicitors Ordinance. The effect is that such a person will be able to read in Chambers (and if no other amendment is made to the Advocates and Solicitors Ordinance), to apply for admission as an advocate and solicitor after having attended and received instruction in law in the office of an advocate and solicitor of not less than seven years' standing for a period of not less than twelve months. This is, however, intended to be an interim measure and it is hoped that a more comprehensive amending Ordinance will be introduced later in the year.

The question of how a graduate in law of the University of Malaya will be allowed to qualify for admission as an advocate and solicitor of the Supreme Court in Singapore and in the Federation of Malaya has been discussed over the past few years. There has been general agreement on the main principle that the degree of LL.B. of the University of Malaya should be recognised as a qualification for admission to the local Bars and that there should be a short period of articles or reading in Chambers before the graduate is admitted as an advocate and solicitor. It has unfortunately not, however, been possible to get agreement on all the details of the amendments that are needed. The Committee set up by the Government of the Federation on which there are representatives of the Singapore Government and the University, have only recently completed its deliberations and the recommendations of Ihe Committee will have to be accepted by the two Governments and the Bar Committee of Singapore and the Bar Council of the Federation of Malaya. It has, therefore, not been possible for us to introduce the comprehensive Bill to amend the Advocates and Solicitors Ordinance. As, however, the Faculty of Law of the University of Malaya has already produced its first graduates and as these graduates have already joined the Government service or begun to read in Chambers, it is felt that some interim legislation should be enacted to define their position. The Bill refers to the passing of the examination and not to the possession of the degree, as the degrees are not now conferred till six months after the final examinations. Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole Assembly.

Assembly immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill.-[Mr Byrne].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.