(d)
1
∞
It was necessary, whether by fresh Regulations or a new Ordinance, to
re-establish the film censorship scheme on a valid legal footing. This was the primary justification for the inclusion of
the censorship system proposal in the
Bill.
(e) It was not essential for the operation of
the classification scheme that guidelines
for censorship be specified by
legislation. A system, akin to the
(£)
present system, whereby the censors were
provided, in theory, with an unfettered discretion which, in practice, was
exercised in accordance with directions
issued by the Administration, was a viable
alternative. The justification for specifying guidelines in the legislation would be to reduce the potential for abuse
of the censor's presently unfettered
powers.
The primary grounds for censorship were
sex and violence. In the view of several
persons attending the meeting the other grounds stated in Clause 9 of the Bill
were either superfluous, unnecessary or would be confined in practice to a very
limited number of cases. In addition,
some of those at the meeting took the view that there may be occasions in which it was necessary for the Government to ban
CONFIDENTIAL
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