WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1982
15
UC BY-ELECTION DEFERRED
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A BILL PROVIDING THAT NO EXTRAORDINARY BY-ELECTION NEED BE HELD TILL JANUARY 1, NEXT YEAR TO FILL A VACANCY FOR AN ELECTED MEMBER IN THE URBAN COUNCIL WAS APPROVED IN ONE SESSION AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
THE BILL WAS INTRODUCED FOLLOWING THE RECENT, DEATH OF MR AMBROSE CHOI, ELECTED MEMBER OF THE URBAN COUNCIL.
THE HON DAVID AKERS-JONES, SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, EXPLAINED THAT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS (PROCEDURE) REGULATIONS, IT IS MANDATORY THAT AN ELECTION BE HELD ON OR AFTER AUGUST 12 TO FILL THE VACANCY. BUT THE URBAN COUNCIL HAD REQUESTED THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO HOLD A BY-ELECTION, TO AVOID CONFUSING THE PUBLIC, AS DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS ARE TO BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER.
IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT THE AMENDING LEGISLATION BE ENACTED ON OR BEFORE JULY 16, AND HE HAD THEREFORE PROPOSED THAT ALL THREE READINGS BE TAKEN AT THE SESSION, HE SAID.
STEP TAKEN TO STOP TRAVEL TICKET TOUTING
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A BILL SEEKING TO MAKE IT AN OFFENCE FOR ANY PERSON TO SELL A TRAVEL TICKET OR VOUCHER IN A PUBLIC PLACE AT A PRICE EXCEEDING THE AUTHORISED PRICE, WAS INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON J.R. HEYWOOD,
IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE SUMMARY OFFENCES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982, MR HEYWOOD EXPLAINED THAT UNDER EXISTING LEGISLATION, THE POLICE CAN ONLY TAKE ACTION AGAINST THOSE TICKET TOUTS WHOSE ACTIVITIES ARE +TO THE ANNOYANCE OF OR IN A MANNER LIKELY TO ANNOY ANY OTHER PERSON+.
+ IN THE PAST, IT HAS BEEN COMPARATIVELY RARE FOR SUCH COMPLAINTS TO BE MADE TO THE POLICE BECAUSE IN MOST CASES THE PERSON DIRECTLY IMPORTUNED WAS PERFORCE WILLING, OR EAGER, TO BUY THE TICKET OFFERED,+ HE SAID.
HOWEVER, STATISTICS ON RECENT PROSECUTIONS INDICATE THAT THE PROBLEM IS GROWING, MAINLY IN THE ORGANISED SCALPING OF TICKETS FOR HONG KONG/MACAU FERRIES, HYDROFOILS AND JETFOILS USUALLY NEAR THE MACAU FERRY WHARF.
MR HEYWOOD SAID THAT THE PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT ORDINANCE ALREADY PROHIBITS SCALPING OF TICKETS FOR PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT.
SIMILAR PROVISION, THEREFORE, SHOULD BE MADE IN THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE TO PREVENT THE RESALE OF TRAVEL TICKETS FOR ALL MODES OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT AT A PROFIT IN PUBLIC PLACES.
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED,