As regards the Society, it is considered harmless to allow the Maconie Loop decks to be specially exempted from the provisions of the Ordinance by amending Section 3 of the Ordinance.
I observe that the Bill makes the offences which it creates punishable on summary conviction; but having regard to the severity of the punishment, which may extend in some cases to 12 months' imprisonment with hard labour, I am disposed to think that the trial of these offences should be preserved for the Supreme Court.
On Clause 9, the words "such resigning or withdrawing or expulsion having been recorded in the minutes of the Society" should be omitted; this would then be left for any person charged with being a member and proved to have been a member of an unlawful society to prove that he had resigned or been expelled or withdrawn. If, on the other hand, the words were retained, a person who had been a member would be prevented from escaping from his unlawful position without the consent of the Society.
5. In Clause 10, for "declared to be unlawful under...