XN000022-1974-02-26 — Page 15

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Tuesday, February 26, 1974

POWER TO ENTER BUILDINGS TO ENFORCE LIGHTING LAW

Police officers may now enter private commercial premises for

the purpose of enforcing the Emergency (Advertising, Display and Floodlighting)

(Restriction) Order 1973.

Authority to enter these buildings to enforce the lighting

restrictions has recently been given by the Director of Oil Supplies, Mr.

Roy Porter.

The authority does not, however, permit Police officers to enter

or search domestic premises except with further specific approval given by

the Director.

Since the Order came into effect last December, the Police have

prosecuted over 200 offenders whose advertising and display lights are

located in public places.

Shops and other commercial concerns using these lights inside shopping

arcades and private commercial buildings outside the permitted hours could not

be prosecuted hitherto as the Police had no powers of entry into them.

With the authorization, Police officers can now issue summonses to

offendors located in all these premises.

Furthermore, they may enter shops for the purposes of checking on the

interior display lighting.

"Many shops located in arcades have so far been ignoring the Order,"

Mr. Porter said.

They are now much more likely to be prosecuted as a result."

He stressed, however, that the authorization should not be regarded

as a further restriction but only as a fairer application of the present

regulations.