WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1985
23
WIDE SUPPORT FOR OBSCENE PUBLICATIONS TRIBUNAL
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THERE HAD BEEN WIDESPREAD PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TRIBUNAL TO DEAL WITH OBSCENE PUBLICATIONS, THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, THE HON PETER TSAO, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
+AND THE HONG KONG MAGISTRATES' ASSOCIATION HAS GIVEN SUPPORT,
IN PRINCIPLE, TO SUCH A SYSTEM, + HE SAID.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON RITA FAN, MR TSAO SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS WELL AWARE OF THE RECENT CLAMOUR FOR THE EARLY ESTABLISHMENT OF SUCH A TRIBUNAL.
+OUR INTENTION IS TO DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN, TOGETHER WITH A REALISTIC PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS, FOR THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION BEFORE THE END OF THIS SUMMER, HE SAID.
POINTING OUT THAT THE TRIBUNAL CONCEPT WOULD NOT IN ITSELF SOLVE THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS OF OBJECTIONABLE PUBLICATIONS, MR TSAO SAID HE HAD TAKEN UP THE MATTER PERSONALLY WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, AND THEY HAD AGREED THAT WAYS AND MEANS SHOULD BE FOUND TO ACHIEVE SPEEDIER AND MORE EFFECTIVE ACTION ON THE GROUND.
+CONSIDERATION IS THEREFORE BEING GIVEN TO TAKING ACTION NOT ONLY AGAINST PUBLISHERS, AS WE HAVE DONE HITHERTO, BUT ALSO PRINTERS, DISTRIBUTORS AND VENDORS WHO ARE EQUALLY LIABLE UNDER EXISTING LAWS, HE SAID.
+ I HAVE BEEN ASSURED THAT ACTION, AIMING PARTICULARLY AT OFFENDING PUBLISHERS AND VENDORS, WILL BE TAKEN.
+ TRUST THAT THESE MEASURES WILL GIVE THE ADMINISTRATION TIME TO IMPLEMENT A DEFINITIVE SOLUTION, I.E. THE TRIBUNAL CONCEPT.+
AS FOR THE INTER-DEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP ESTABLISHED TO CONSIDER IN DETAIL THE SETTING UP OF THE TRIBUNAL, MR TSAO SAID IT HAD CONCLUDED THAT SUCH A TRIBUNAL WOULD SERVE AT LEAST THE FOLLOWING FOUR MAIN PURPOSES:
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BY VIRTUE OF ITS COMPOSITION, IT WOULD BE BETTER PLACED TO REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE COMMUNITY;
VOLUNTARY PRE-PUBLICATION AND PRE-DISTRIBUTION SUBMISSION TO THE TRIBUNAL FOR A RULING WOULD HELP DISTRIBUTORS AND PUBLISHERS AVOID TRANSGRESSING THE LAW;
A DEGREE OF CONSISTENCY IN STANDARDS COULD BE ATTAINED; Aived * DEFINITIVE AND SPEEDIER RULINGS COULD BE OBTAINED.
/+THE WORKING