+
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1980
5
* PUBLIC MEETINGS WHERE ATTENDANCE IS LESS THAN 30 PERSONS
WOULD BE EXEMPTED FROM NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES.
ON THE THIRD POINT, MR WONG SAID THAT TO PERMIT A GREATER NUMBER OF PERSONS TO DO SO WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION MIGHT POSE DIFFICULTIES FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
HE ALSO REVEALED THAT A LEAFLET EXPLAINING THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE BILL HAS BEEN DRAFTED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
+ALTHOUGH IT DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE AN EXHAUSTIVE COMMENTARY ON THE NEW PROVISIONS, IT NEVERTHELESS HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE MORE IMPORTANT ASPECTS AND GIVES EXAMPLES CONTRASTING MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST' WITH 'SOCIAL PURPOSES'.
+ IN SHORT, THE AIM OF THE LEAFLET IS TO ASSIST AN ORGANISER TO DECIDE WHETHER HIS PARTICULAR MEETING SHOULD BE NOTIFIED TO THE POLICE.
+MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO INTEND TO ORGANISE PUBLIC MEETINGS OR PROCESSIONS WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO READ THIS VERY USEFUL LEAFLET,+ MR WONG SAID.
ANOTHER UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI, ALSO SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL.
HE SAID: THE BILL HAS STRUCK A GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN THE NEED FOR PRESERVING CIVIC LIBERTY ON THE ONE HAND WHILE PROVIDING THE MEANS TO MAINTAIN PEACE AND ORDER FOR THE COMMUNITY ON THE OTHER. +
HE WELCOMED THE PROVISIONS AIMED AT RELAXING THE CONTROL OF MEETINGS, PROCESSIONS AND GATHERINGS OF A PUBLIC NATURE AND THE METHODS TO FACILITATE EXPRESSION OF VIEWS AND GRIEVANCES BY THE PEOPLE IN PUBLIC.
+THESE PROVISIONS WILL AFFORD THE PUBLIC A MUCH LARGER DEGREE OF FREEDOM IN EXPRESSING THEIR FEELINGS AND VIEWS ABOUT COMMUNITY AFFAIRS THAN UNDER THE EXISTING ORDINANCE, DR HO SAID.
+1 WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PLACE ON RECORD THE ASSURANCE GIVEN BY GOVERNMENT TO THE AD HOC GROUP THAT EACH APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS OR PROCESSIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED ON ITS OWN MER ITS BY THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE AND THAT THE DECISION TO INTERFERE AT PUBLIC MEETINGS OR PROCESSIONS WILL BE MADE AT A SENIOR LEVEL AND THE POLICE OFFICERS CONCERNED HAVE BEEN SPECIALLY TRAINED AND WILL ACT WITH MAXIMUM CONSTRAINT AND MINIMUM FORCE, HE ADDED.
AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE OF THE BILL THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THE HON JOHN GRIFFITHS, REFERRING TO THE REVISED DEFINITION OF 'MEETING', SAID THE EXPRESSION + ISSUES OR MATTERS OF INTEREST OR CONCERN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC OR A SECTION THEREOF + WAS MORE READILY UNDERSTANDABLE THAN +MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST+.
+1 DO NOT SUGGEST THAT THIS AMENDMENT IS A PERFECT SOLUTION TO THE QUESTION OF WHAT IS OR IS NOT A MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST'.
+
/+HOWEVER IF
-