The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     The commencement notices to give effect to the two resolutions relating to the civil jurisdictional limits of the District Court (DC) and the Small Claims Tribunal (SCT) passed by the Legislative Council on June 27, 2018 were published in the Gazette today (July 6).

     The two resolutions seek to increase the civil jurisdictional limits of the DC and the SCT stipulated respectively in the District Court Ordinance (Cap 336) and the Small Claims Tribunal Ordinance (Cap 338) as follows:

(a) increasing the general financial limit of the civil jurisdiction of the DC from $1 million to $3 million;

(b) increasing the financial limit for land matters of the DC from $240,000 to $320,000 in terms of the annual rent or the rateable value or the annual value of the land;

(c) increasing the limit for the equity jurisdiction of the DC where the proceedings do not involve or relate to land from $1 million to $3 million;

(d) increasing the limit for the equity jurisdiction of the DC where the proceedings wholly involve or relate to land from $3 million to $7 million; and

(e) increasing the limit for the SCT from $50,000 to $75,000.

     The Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal has appointed December 3, 2018 as the commencement date of the above jurisdictional rise.

     Also gazetted today were the Small Claims Tribunal (Fees) (Amendment) Rules 2018 (the Amendment Rules).

     The spokesman for the Judiciary said, "The Amendment Rules seek to prescribe the fees payable for filing of claims at the SCT up to its new jurisdictional limit of $75,000, and correspondingly adjust the range of claim amount for the existing four bands of fees in the Small Claims Tribunal (Fees) Rules (Cap 338B). The existing fee amount for each band of fee would remain unchanged.

     "The Amendment Rules will come into operation on the same day as the commencement date of the jurisdictional rise of the SCT, i.e. December 3," he added.

     The commencement notices and the Amendment Rules will be tabled in the Legislative Council for negative vetting on July 11, 2018.

     Demand notes for rates and/or Government rent for the quarter from July to September 2018 have been issued, and payment should be made by July 31, 2018.
 
     The demand notes have reflected the rates concession for this quarter, subject to a ceiling of $2,500 for each rateable tenement. Any unused portion of the concession in this quarter will not be used to offset the outstanding rates in any other quarter. The concession does not apply to payment of Government rent.
              
     Payment can be made:
 
(1) by using autopay or electronic means (such as PPS, bank automated teller machine (ATM) or the Internet); 

(2) by uploading an e-Cheque/e-Cashier's Order via the Pay e-Cheque portal www.payecheque.gov.hk; 

(3) by sending a crossed cheque to the Treasury, PO Box 28000, Gloucester Road Post Office, Hong Kong (please note that mail with underpaid postage will be rejected); or 

(4) in person at any of the post offices or designated convenience stores. For the addresses and opening hours of post offices, please call Hongkong Post's hotline (2921 2222), or visit www.hongkongpost.hk. 

     If demand notes have not been received, members of the public may call 2152 0111, fax 2152 0113, or visit the Rating and Valuation Department, 15/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon.
 
     Members of the public can also visit the department's website at www.rvd.gov.hk to obtain replacement demand notes or take a demand note for any previous quarter to any of the following post offices, where replacement demand notes can be obtained and payment can be made:
 
(1) General Post Office, 2 Connaught Place, Central, Hong Kong;
 
(2) Gloucester Road Post Office, 1/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; 

(3) Kowloon Central Post Office, G/F, Kowloon Government Offices, 405 Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon; 

(4) Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, G/F and 1/F, Hermes House, 10 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. 

     A surcharge of 5 per cent will be imposed for late payment and a further surcharge of 10 per cent will be levied on the amount (including the 5 per cent surcharge) that remains unpaid six months after the payment deadline.
 
     To support environmental protection, payers are advised to utilise the free eRVD Bill service to receive e-bills and make payments. They are also encouraged to settle bills by autopay or other means of e-payment (e.g. PPS, ATM, the Internet or e-Cheque/e-Cashier Order) in order to save queuing time. Application forms for autopay are obtainable from the Rating and Valuation Department, District Offices and major banks in Hong Kong or by telephoning 2152 0111. Payers may also download the form from the department's website.

     The Government gazetted today (July 6) proposed amendments to ancillary road works for development near Choi Wan Road and Jordan Valley, which seeks to delete an originally proposed footbridge across the New Clear Water Bay Road.
 
     Details of the proposed amendments are set out in the Annex. The third amendment plan and third amendment scheme of the works are available for public inspection at the following government offices during office hours:
 
Central and Western Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, Harbour Building,
38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong
 
Kwun Tong Home Affairs Enquiry Centre,
G/F, The Grande Building,
398 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon
 
District Lands Office,
Kowloon East and Kowloon West,
10/F, Yau Ma Tei Carpark Building,
250 Shanghai Street, Kowloon

     The gazette notice, third amendment scheme, third amendment plan and location plan will be available at
www.thb.gov.hk/eng/psp/publications/transport/gazette/gazette.htm.

     Any person who wishes to object to the proposed further amendments is required to address to the Secretary for Transport and Housing an objection in writing, which can be submitted via the following means:
 

• By post or by hand to the Transport and Housing Bureau's drop-in box No. 6 located at the entrance on 2/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong. The box is available for use between 8am and 7pm from Monday to Friday (except public holidays);
• By fax to 2868 4643; or
• By email to gazettethb@thb.gov.hk.

     A notice of objection should describe the objector's interest and the manner in which he or she alleges that he or she will be affected by the proposed third amendment. Objectors are requested to provide contact details to facilitate communication. A notice of objection should be delivered to the Secretary for Transport and Housing not later than September 4, 2018.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 6) that due to big waves, red flag has been hoisted at Hung Shing Yeh Beach in Islands District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     Hong Kong Customs today (July 5) arrested a male director cum salesperson of a domestic helper agency suspected of having applied a false trade description to the employment services supplied, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

     Customs earlier received information alleging that staff members of a domestic helper agency had made a false claim to a customer on the matters relating to the application for employment of the domestic helper in the provision of employment agency service.

     After investigation, Customs officers today arrested a 28-year-old man.

     Investigation is ongoing and the arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure services at reputable shops.

     â€‹Under the TDO, any trader who applies a false trade description to a service supplied to a consumer commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).