WOULD BE USED ONLY AS A MEASURE OF LAST RESORT. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE QUESTION TOSUGGEST THAT THESE CASES COME ANYWHERE NEAR THE INTENDED SCOPE OF THIS OFFENCE. INDEED, I AM RATHER SURPRISED THAT MR. LEE SHOULD BE SUGGESTING THAT CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO
USING SECTION 27 IN SUCH CASES,'
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS TO MR, MARTIN LEE'S QUESTION AND ANSWERS BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
MR DESMOND LEE:
SHR, WOULD THE ADMINISTRATION KINDLY CONFIRM OR INDICATE OTHERWISE THAT SECTION 27 OF THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINACE IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY FROM RUMOUR-MONGER ING WHICH MIGHT UNDERMINE CONFIDENCE IN THIS TERRITORY AND ACCORDINGLY CONFIRM OR INDICATE OTHERWISE THAT OFFENDING RUMOUR-MONGER OUGHT THEREFORE TO BE PROSECUTED UNDER THE SECTION PARTICULARLY IN THE LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT NO DEFENCE HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD TO BOLSTER THE TRUTH OF THESE RUMOURS?
ATTORNEY GENERAL :
SIR, IN VIEW OF THE RATHER LONG AND COMPLEX TERMS OF THE QUESTION, *** WONDER IF MR DESMOND LEE WOULD MIND READING THEM OUT AGAIN?
GOVERNOR :
MR LEE COULD YOU REPEAT YOUR QUESTION?
MR DESMOND LEE:
SHR, WILL THE ADMINISTRATION KINDLY CONFIRM OR INDICATE OTHERWISE *TS STANCE THAT SECTION 27 OF THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE IS NECHISSARY TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY FROM RUMOUR-MONGERING WHICH MIGHT UNDERMINE CONFIDENCE IN THIS TERRITORY AND ACCORDINGLY CONFIRM OR INDICATE OTHERWISE THAT OFFENDING RUMOUR-MONGERS OUGHT THEREFORE TO BE PROSECUTED UNDER THE SECTION PARTICULARLY IN THE LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT NO DEFENCE HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD TO BOLSTER THE TRUTH OF THOSE RUMOURS?
ATTORNEY GENERAL:
SIR, AS TO THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION, YES. AS TO THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION, DO NOT KNOW WHAT CASE MR LEE IS REFERRING TO. IF MT IS A HYPOTHETICAL CASE, COULD NOT COMMENT ON IT.
MR MARTIN LEE:
SIR, WILL THE ATTORNEY GENERAL PLEASE ELABORATE HIS BRIEF ORAL ANSWER WHICH HAS BEEN DELIBERATELY WITHHELD FROM MEMBERS OF THMS COUNCIL CONTRARY TO CONVENTION WHICH WAS THAT WRITTEN ANSWERS BE SUPPLIED TO MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF SITTING, BY INFORMING THIS COUNCIL WHETHER THE DECISION NOT TO PROSECUTE ANYBODY HAD BEEN THE RESULT OF CONSIDERATION THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH ARE
''PRO-PEKING' PUBLICATION?
2
ATTORNEY GENERAL: