TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 1985
10
+
BUT HE ADMITTED THAT THE USAGE OF THE VENUE FOR HOLDING CONVENTIONS AND EXHIBITIONS HAS SO FAR BEEN LOW.
+THIS IS PROBABLY BECAUSE GREATER EMPHASIS HAS BEEN PLACED ON ENTERTAINMENT AND SPORTS EVENTS AS THE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF THE VENUE, AND WITH REGARD TO EXHIBITIONS BECAUSE OF THE RELATIVELY LOW PROPORTION OF EXHIBITION SPACE IN RELATION TO THE SEATING AREA, HE SAID.
MEANWHILE, MR LAU SAID THE COLISEUM HAS BEEN BOOKED FOR A TRADE FAIR TO PROMOTE THE EXPORT OF GIFTS AND HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS OF HONG KONG IN APRIL NEXT YEAR - THE FIRST EVER TO BE HELD AT THE VENUE SINCE IT WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED IN APRIL 1983.
THE HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION WHICH HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING A LARGE NUMBER OF INTERESTED OVERSEAS VISITORS TO THE COLISEUM WILL ALSO HOST A SEMINAR ON CONVENTION FACILITIES THIS MONTH IN WHICH THE COLISEUM AND OTHER COUNCIL FACILITIES WILL BE COVERED.
COUNCIL NOT AUTHORITY TO CENSOR MATERIAL
******
IT WOULD BE BEYOND THE POWERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL TO CENSOR THE MATERIAL EXPOSED FOR SALE BY LICENSED NEWSPAPER
AWKERS, SAID THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MARKETS AND STREET TRADERS SELECT COMMITTEE, MR SHUM CHOI-SANG, TODAY.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY MRS MARGARET LI AT THE OPEN MEETING, MR SHUM POINTED OUT THAT UNDER THE OBJECTIONABLE PUBLICATIONS ORDINANCE, ONLY THE POLICE HAVE THE DUTY OF TAKING ACTION AGAINST THE SALE OF ANY MATERIAL OF AN INDECENT, OBSCENE OR REVOLTING NATURE FROM A LICENSED NEWSPAPER HAWKER STALL OR ELSEWHERE.
+THE COUNCIL'S ONLY DUTY IN SUCH CASES IS TO URGE ALL CITIZENS TO OBEY THE LAW, HE SAID.
AS FOR MATERIAL WHICH IS NOT ILLEGAL UNDER THE SAME ORDINANCE, BUT MERELY TASTELESS, OR OF A GENERALLY EROTIC OR SENSUOUS FLAVOUR, THERE ARE NO LEGAL CONTROLS ON THE SALE OR EXPOSURE FOR SALE OF SUCH MATERIAL.
TO INITIATE LEGAL AMENDMENTS TO ACHIEVE SUCH CONTROL CULD BE EXTRMEMELY DIFFICULT.
+IT IS IN PARTICULAR IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFINE ADEQUATELY WHAT DOES OR DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN 'ADULT PUBLICATION' WHICH IS UNDESIRABLE, BUT NOT ACTUALLY INDECENT, + MR SHUM
OTEL.
/+EVEN,