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CONFIDENTIAL

Note

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THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (AMENDMENT)

(NO. 2) ORDINANCE 1968

There is mention in the Submission on Review of Emergency

Legislation (Annex B to Note No. 7) of separate correspondence

with the Governor about the provisions of the Criminal Procedure

(Amendment) (No. 2) Ordinance, 1968, incorporating in permanent

law emergency regulations empowering the courts to exclude the

public from criminal proceedings.

2. The present position in this matter is that we await a

further communication from the Governor following Sir Michael

Hogan's return to Hong Kong at the middle of May. It is not

considered that the subject should be raised with the Governor,

but he may well mention it. In this event it is suggested he

should be informed that any additional proposals or arguments

that he introduces will naturally be carefully considered but

that since fundamental legal principles are involved, it would

be necessary for such proposals to be studied by our Legal

Advisers: for this reason it would probably be best and quickest

for the Governor to pursue the matter direct with the Department.

Background

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3. The Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (No. 2) Ordinance (copy

attached) which was enacted in September 1968 embodies into the

permanent law the provisions of Emergency (Principal) Regulation

88 and the Emergency (Courts) Regulations (Legal Notice No. 79/67).

These provisions confer considerable powers on High Court Judges,

District Judges and Magistrates to exclude the public from criminal

courts in the interests of justice or public order and security.

When the Ordinance was received in the Department the Legal

Advisers had very strong misgivings about the comprehensive nature

bu, as at

ANG 20/1769

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1

CONFIDENTIAL

bu 25.6.69

AMG 916169.

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