Submission
Mr. Caer
Mr. Moreton
PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) BILL 1969
Problem
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The Governor of Hong Kong has forwarded for scrutiny a
draft Bill to amend the Public Order Ordinance 1967.
The
main purpose of the Bill is to amend the Principal Ordinance
in order to meet certain criticisms which have been levelled
at the latter by "Justice". The Bill also seeks to incorporate
into the Principal Ordinance certain provisions of emergency
legislation; and to ameliorate certain other provisions of the
Principal Ordinance which had previously been taken from
emergency legislation. The Bill goes a long way towards
achieving its purposes, but there are a few outstanding points
for which, after discussion with the Legal Advisers, we consider
that the Bill should provide.
Recommendation
2. I recommend that these outstanding points be put to the
Governor in terms of the attached draft Saving Despatch, for
his further consideration.
Background
3. The Hong Kong Public Order Ordinance was brought into
operation in November 1967 at the height of the disturbances
in the Colony. Its purpose was to consolidate into one
Ordinance the various provisions dealing with public order
and to strengthen the law where experience had shown this to
be desirable. Work on the preparation of the Ordinance had
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CONFIDENTIAL