540
Inquiry by Magistrate as to libel being true, etc. c. 60 s. 4.
No. 1.] THE ORDINANCES OF HONGKONG: [A.D. 1887.
or report issued by them or him for the information of the public, shall be privileged, unless it is proved that such report or publication was published or made maliciously: Provided that nothing in this section shall authorize the publication of any blasphemous or indecent matter: Provided, also, that the protection intended to be afforded by this section shall not be available as a defence in any proceedings if it is proved that the defendant has been requested to insert in the newspaper in which the report or other publication complained of appeared a reasonable letter or statement by way of contradiction or explanation of such report or other publication, and has refused or neglected to insert the same: Provided, further, that nothing in this section shall be deemed or construed to limit or abridge any privilege now by law existing or to protect the publication of any matter not of public concern and the publication of which is not for the public benefit.
(2.) For the purposes of this section, "public meeting" means any meeting bona fide and lawfully held for a lawful purpose, and for the furtherance or discussion of any matter of public concern, whether the admission thereto is general or restricted,
16. A Magistrate, on the hearing of a charge against a proprietor, publisher, or editor, or any person responsible for the publication of a newspaper, for a libel published therein, may receive evidence as to the matters charged in the libel being true, and as to the report being fair and accurate and published without malice, and as to the publication being for the public benefit, and as to any matter which, under this or any other Ordinance or otherwise, might be given in evidence by way of defence by the person charged on his trial on information, and the Magistrate, if he is of opinion, after hearing such evidence, that there is a strong or probable presumption that the jury on the trial would acquit the person charged, may dismiss the case.
Provision as to summary libel. Ib. s. 5.
17. If a Magistrate, on the hearing of a charge against a proprietor, publisher, editor, or any person responsible for the publication of a newspaper for a libel published therein, is of opinion that, though the person charged is shown to have been guilty, the libel was of a trivial character, and that the offence may be adequately punished by virtue of the powers of this section, the Magistrate shall cause the charge to be reduced into writing and read to the person charged, and then address a question to him to the following effect: "Do you desire to be tried by a jury or do you consent to the case being dealt with summarily?" and if such person assents to the case being dealt with summarily, the Magistrate may summarily convict him and adjudge him to pay a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars,
Power to
18. At the trial of an action for a libel contained in any newspaper,