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CAP. 151]
Societies
[1988 Ed.
Protection of informers
38. Without prejudice to the provisions of section 34, except as is hereinafter provided-
(a) no information laid under this Ordinance shall be admitted in evidence in any civil or criminal proceedings whatsoever;
(b) no witness shall be obliged or permitted to disclose the name and address of any informer under this Ordinance or to state any matter which might lead to his discovery; and
(c) if any books, documents or papers which are evidence or liable to inspection in any civil or criminal proceedings whatsoever under this Ordinance contained any entry in which any informer is named or described or which might lead to his discovery, the Court or magistrate shall cause all such passages to be concealed from view or to be obliterated so far as may be necessary to protect the informer from discovery but no further:
Provided that if in any criminal proceedings under this Ordinance the Court or magistrate after full inquiry into the case is satisfied that the strict enforcement of the provisions of this section would be likely to cause a miscarriage of justice, the Court or magistrate may require the production of the original information and may permit inquiry and may require full disclosure concerning the informer.
(Added, 28 of 1961, s. 16)
Evidence
39. In any prosecution under this Ordinance the Court or magistrate may refer, for the purpose of evidence, to "The Triad Society or Heaven and Earth Association" by William Stanton and to any other published book or articles on the subject of unlawful societies in general or of particular unlawful societies which the Court or magistrate may consider to be of authority on the subject to which they relate.
(Amended, 36 of 1982, s. 15)
Power of Registrar to authorize winding up
40. (1) Notwithstanding the cancellation of the registration or of the exemption from registration of a society under section 10, or the cancellation of the registration of a society under section 17, or the dissolution of a society under section 30, the Registrar or an assistant registrar, on the application of any person, may by writing under his hand, authorize the doing of such things as he may consider necessary for the purpose of the winding up of the affairs of such society.
(2) The Registrar or an assistant registrar in such authorization may impose such terms and conditions as he may consider necessary, including a term prohibiting or restricting the use of any place or premises specified in the authorization as a place of meeting or place of business.
(3) Any person who does any act in connection with the winding up of any such society otherwise than in accordance with an authorization of the
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