more efficient legal system -- and maybe smaller lawyer's bills.

The move to an electronic database was revealed yesterday by Attorney General Mr. Walter Maddocks as he unveiled the latest printed edition of the Island's laws.

Available for anyone with $2,550 to spare and enough shelf space for 11 thousand-page volumes, the new printed edition has taken four years to produce. Seven hundred sets have been printed, ready for lawyers, accountants, libraries, Government departments and exempted companies who need to keep track of statutes.

But eventually, said Mr Maddocks, subscribers to a new computer system will be able to get the information simply and easily, on-screen.

The AG's office has never had all of Bermuda's laws in electronic form before, he said. "We hope to let people access the database and to provide an on-line service. It depends what the demand is.'' He hoped researchers would be able to electronically search the entire set of laws for a word or phrase, instead of leafing through pages of printed text.

"It will be a superb state of the art system,'' he added.

Bar Council president Mr. John Riihiluoma welcomed the appearance of the new printed edition and looked forward to the electronic version.

"I'd be delighted to see the electronic version,'' he said. "The present system is difficult to work with because amendments come out on paper periodically and one has to do a cut and paste job. You can never be sure that you have the most up-to-date version of any particular statute.

"It would speed up the legal process. Most lawyers bill their clients on a time basis, so the sooner you could find the answer to a question the less money could be charged.'' OLD TECH MEETS NEW - Attorney General Mr. Walter Maddocks with the latest printed edition of Bermuda's laws, and the electronic version which may soon become available to subscribers.