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The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

The Judiciary today (June 21) announced that the South Kowloon Magistracy (SKM) would be closed down on July 1, 2000.

Cases that are currently handled by the SKM will be transferred and heard at San Po Kong Magistracy, Kwun Tong Magistracy, North Kowloon Magistracy and Fanling Magistracy as appropriate.

"Such arrangements are part of a plan to put the resources of the Judiciary to optimal use," a spokesman for the Judiciary said.

He assured that there would be no deterioration of standard of service as a result of redistribution of cases and redeployment of staff.

He noted that the Juvenile Court at SKM had already been transferred to Kwun Tong Magistracy in April 1998.

Other SKM cases had been re-scheduled to the relevant magistracies over the last few months in anticipation of the closure of SKM.

There are presently three courts operating in SKM. They handled about 35 000 cases annually in 1998 and 1999.

As for the plan for the use of the Building after closure, the spokesman said consultation within the Judiciary was still on.

End/Wednesday, June 21, 2000

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