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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1976
ANOTHER IMPORTANT PROVISION WILL EMPOWER COURTS TO SERVE NOTICE ON THE TENANTS OR OWNERS OF PREMISES USED FOR UNLAWFUL BOOKMAK ING, GAMBLING OR IN CONNECTION WITH AN UNLAWFUL LOTTERY, SO THAT IF SIMILAR OFFENCES ARE COMMITTED ON THE SAME PREMISES WITHIN A YEAR OF THE NOTICE, THEY WILL BE GUILTY OF AN EFFENCE.
IN THIS CONNECTION THE COURTS WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO ORDER THE HONG KONG TELEPHONE COMPANY TO DISCONNECT SERVICE TO ANYONE CONVICTED OF OPERATING A GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENT OR BOOKMAK ING, OR TO PREMISES IN WHICH THE OFFENCES WERE COMMITTED.
THE OBLIGATION OF RACING CLUBS TO PREVENT BOOKMAKING ON THEIR PREMISES IS COVERED BY ONE OF THE CLAUSES IN THE BILL WHICH GIVES THEM THE AUTHORITY TO REMOVE SUSPECTED BOOKMAKERS FROM RACE COURSES.
OTHER OFFENCES UNDER THE BILL INCLUDE BETTING WITH BOOKMAKERS, GAMBLING IN ILLEGAL GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENTS, OPERATING UNLAWFUL GAMBLING IN ANY PLACE OTHER THAN A GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENT OR IN A STREET AND GAMBLING THERE SELLING OR POSSESSING ILLEGAL LOTTERY TICKETS AND PUBLISHING INFORMATION ABOUT ILLEGAL LOTTERIES.
THE PENALTIES FOR THESE OFFENCES RANGE FROM $10,000 FINE AND THREE MONTHS IMPRISONMENT UP TO $50,000 FINE AND TWO YEARS IMPRISONMENT.
CHEATING OR USING FRAUD AT GAMBLING OR IN A LOTTERY IS ALSO COVERED BY A PROVISION IN THE BILL AND ANYONE WHO DOES SO, OR WHO FRADUENTLY INDUCES OTHERS TO GAMBLE OR TAKE PART IN A LOTTERY, WILL FACE A FINE OF $1 MILLION AND 10 YEARS IMPRISONMENT.
OTHER CLAUSES IN THE BILL DEAL WITH MINOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE GAMBLING LAW.
CONTRACT SIGNING
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NOTE TO EDITORS:
A CONTRACT FOR THE LEASE OF A NEW GENERATION COMPUTER SYSTEM TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL BE SIGNED ON MONDAY (OCTOBER 25).
THE CONTRACT WILL BE SIGNED IN THE PACIFICA ROOM OF THE FURAMA HOTEL IN CENTRAL BY THE MANAGER OF THE GOVERNMENT'S DATA PROCESSING DIVISION (DPD), MR. LEE TATE, AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMPUTERS (HOLDINGS) LIMITED, MR. TOM HUDSON.
YOU ARE INVITED TO SEND A REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER TO COVER THE EVENT WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE AT 3.30 P.M. TELEVISION CAMERA CREWS ARE ADVISED TO ARRIVE AT LEAST 10 MINUTES EARLY SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE AMPLE TIME TO SET UP THEIR EQUIPMENT.
AFTER THE CONTRACT SIGNING CEREMONY BOTH MR. TATE AND MR. HUDSON WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW.
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