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LEGISLATION
Immigration. Two Ordinances relating to immigration control, the Immigration Service Ordinance, 1961, and the Immigration (Control and Offences) (Amendment) Ordinance, 1961, were enacted in August.
Over recent years, the volume of work relating to immigration and its specialized nature had become such that it was considered advisable to constitute a separate service to deal with the matter. The former Ordinance established the new Immigration Service while the latter Ordinance, together with revised regulations, con- siderably strengthened the law relating to the control of immigrants.
Defamation and Libel. This subject has always been com- plicated, but of great concern to persons concerned with literature and publishing. The Defamation Act, 1952 of the United Kingdom considerably extended the protection accorded to persons engaged as a matter of business in the production of newspapers, periodicals and the like, in the event of unintentional defamation. The Colony's legislation had lagged behind the United Kingdom in this respect and the Law Reform Committee recommended that the law should be brought into line. The Defamation and Libel (Amendment) Ordinance, 1961, was enacted in August to that end and adopted the provisions of the United Kingdom Act to the Colony.
Social Welfare. The Social Work Training Fund Ordinance, 1961, was enacted for the purpose of establishing a trust fund which is to be known as the Social Work Training Fund and applied in the provision of training facilities for social workers and for persons wishing to become, social workers. This measure was necessary for the administration of a donation of $2,200,000 made by the United Kingdom Committee for World Refugee Year. The Ordinance makes the Director of Social Welfare Incorporated the trustee of the Fund and provides for its detailed management by a committee constituted under provisions of the Ordinance. A second Ordinance relating to welfare and the training of persons in fields of activity of social value was enacted in November and is intituled the Sir Robert Black Trust Fund Ordinance, 1961. This establishes a trust fund in the sum of $1,000,000 donated by Mr Tang Siu-kin for the purposes referred to. The Ordinance prescribes the objects of the trust and establishes a committee under chairmanship of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, for the management of the Fund.