his discretion may require. The regulations also provide for the licensing of
newspapers.
distributors
of
These particulars are kept by the Registrar in a newspaper register.
News Agencies Registration Regulations. These require the registration of the name and address of the agency, particulars of its proprietor and manager and the printer, publisher or editor of the bulletin distributed by the agency. Similarly, these particulars are
are kept by the Registrar in a news agency register.
Printed Documents (Control) Regulations. These regulations require, inter alia, that
document every printed
shall have printed thereon the name and full address of the printer of the document.
Section 12 Certified extract from Newspaper Register
to be admissible in evidence
30
This section provides that in any proceedings against the proprietor, printer, publisher or editor of any local newspaper, any entry in or certified extract from any newspaper register shall be admissible evidence.
Section 15 Vicarious liability of proprietor, printer,
publisher and editor
31
This section states that on the trial of any person named in the registers in connection with any issue of newspaper or printed document, the accused person shall be presumed to have published such matter unless he satisfies the courts to the contrary.
Section 17 Copies of newspapers to be delivered to the
Registrar
32
This section requires the printer or publisher of local every
newspaper to deliver a
of copy
every such newspaper to the office of the Registrar.
33
The newspaper and news agencies registers contain information which has proved useful for enforcing the criminal law (both statute and common) affecting the press such as in cases of contempt of court under the Magistrates Ordinance, obscene publications under the Objectionable Publications Ordinance and sedition under the Crimes Ordinance. The registration particulars are also useful for