FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1976
BOOKS REGISTRATION BILL 1976
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A BILL AIMED AT ENSURING THAT AN ADEQUATE MINIMUM NUMBER OF COPIES IS RETAINED IN HONG KONG OF ANY BOOK OR SIMILAR PUBLICATION PRODUCED HERE WAS PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GOVERNMENT GAZETTE,
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY HE EXPECTED THAT THE INTENTION BEHIND THE MEASURE WOULD BE WELCOMED BY ALL THOSE CONCERNED WITH GOOD PUBLIC RECORDS IN HONG KONG, SUCH AS SCHOLARS, STUDENTS, HISTORIANS AND NEWSPAPERS EDITORS.
THE BILL, KNOWN AS THE BOOKS REGISTRATION BILL 1976 AND TO BE PRESENTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AT A DATE TO BE DECIDED, REPEALS AND REPLACES THE EXISTING BOOKS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE.
AMONG THE MAIN CHANGES PROPOSED ARE THE FOLLOWING -
1. THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAKING COPIES OF NEW BOOKS
AVAILABLE TO THE GOVERNMENT IS PUT ON THE PUBLISHER OF THE BOOKS, AND NOT THE PRINTER.
2. FIVE COPIES, IN PLACE OF THREE, WILL HAVE TO BE GIVEN
TO THE DIRECTOR OF URBAN SERVICES, REPRESENTING THE GOVERNMENT.
3. THE FINE FOR FAILING TO MAKE COPIES AVAILABLE IS RAISED
FROM $500 TO $5,000.
THE SPOKESMAN COMMENTED THAT MAKING THE PUBLISHER RESPONSIBLE FOR HANDING OVER COPIES, AND NOT THE PRINTER, SHOULD ENSURE A MORE REGULAR AND CERTAIN DELIVERY OF SUCH BOOKS. IN THE PAST THERE HAD BEEN MISUNDERSTANDINGS IN CASES WHERE MORE THAN ONE PRINTER HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF A BOOK.
HE ALSO EXPLAINED THAT THE NEW BILL WOULD BRING CERTAIN PROVISIONS UP-TO-DATE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE EXISTING LAW PROVIDED FOR THE SENDING OF ONE COPY OF EVERY BOOK TO THE KEEPER OF PRINTED BOOKS AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM'' WHOSE AUTHORITY IN THIS MATTER HAS NOW BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD, LONDON. THE NEW BILL UPDATES SUCH TERMS.
THE SPOKESMAN CONCLUDED THAT THE NEW MEASURE FULLY REFLECTS THE CONCERN OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT COPIES OF ALL SUCH NEW PUBLICATIONS SHALL BE KEPT HERE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
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