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ORDER SEEKS BETTER CONTROL OVER ILLEGAL HAWKING
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AN ORDER WHICH SEEKS TO TIDY UP CERTAIN PROVISIONS IN THE LAW SO THAT MORE EFFECTIVE CONTROL OVER ILLEGAL HAWKING CAN BE ACHIEVED IS PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY (FRIDAY).
THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES ORDINANCE (AMENDMENT OF FIRST SCHEDULE) ORDER 1986 PROVIDES FOR THE OFFENCE OF HAWKING IN A STREET WITHOUT A LICENCE AS ONE OF THE SCHEDULED OFFENCES FOR WHICH AUTHORISED PUBLIC OFFICERS HAVE POWER OF ARREST WITHOUT WARRANT.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES BRANCH EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS BASICALLY A REGULARISATION EXERCISE AIMED AT SMOOTHING OUT THE PROCEDURES FOR ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST UNLICENSED HAWKING AND HAWKING IN CONTRAVENTION OF THE LAW.
+PREVIOUSLY PROSECUTION ACTION AGAINST PERSONS HAWKING WITHOUT A LICENCE WAS TAKEN UNDER BY-LAW 5(1) OF THE HAWKER BY-LAWS (NOW THE HAWKER (URBAN COUNCIL) BY-LAWS) IN THE URBAN AREA AND UNDER REGULATION 4(1) OF THE HAWKER (NEW TERRITORIES) REGULATIONS (NOW THE HAWKER (REGIONAL COUNCIL) BY-LAWS) IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WHICH PROVIDED ENFORCEMENT STAFF WITH THE POWER OF ARREST WITHOUT WARRANT.
+HOWEVER, A PAST AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE GAVE RISE TO CERTAIN INCONSISTENCIES WHICH HAD THE INADVERTENT EFFECT OF INVALIDATING THE RELEVANT HAWKER BY-LAWS, HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT BEFORE THE MAKING OF THIS ORDER, ARREST ACTION COULD ONLY BE TAKEN UNDER BOTH THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES, ORDINANCE.
THE AMENDMENT ORDER WILL TAKE IMMEDIATE EFFECT, HE POINTED OUT.
NEW RABIES INFECTED AREA DESIGNATED
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THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT TODAY (FRIDAY) ANNOUNCED THE DESIGNATION OF SO KWUN PO VILLAGE AND ITS VICINITY IN SHEUNG SHUI, NEW TERRITORIES, AS A RABIES INFECTED AREA, WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT.
THE AREA IS BOUNDED BY JOCKEY CLUB ROAD IN THE NORTHEAST, LUNG SUM AVENUE IN THE NORTHWEST, THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY IN THE SOUTHWEST, AND FAN LENG NAM WAI IN THE SOUTHEAST.
IT IS ADDITIONAL TO THE RABIES INFECTED AREA IN THE FRONTIER CLOSED AREA WHICH HAS BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE 1980.
/A GAZETTE