XN000022-1977-06-10 — Page 2

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1977

NOTE TO EDITORS:

QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST

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COPIES OF A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO TODAY'S (FRIDAY) DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN CONTAINING A LIST OF HONG KONG RECIPIENTS OF QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS ARE DISTRIBUTED IN THE PRESS BOXES, GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES, THIS EVENING.

PUBLICATION IS PERMITTED IN HONG KONG NEWSPAPERS TOMORROW (SATURDAY) MORNING BUT NO NEWS AGENCY OR OVERSEAS RADIO MAY CARRY THE INFORMATION WITHOUT THE EMBARGO QUALIFICATION, THE NEWS MAY BE BROADCAST FROM 6 A.M. ONWARDS OVER THE LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS TOMORROW.

ON NO ACCOUNT SHOULD ANY OF THE RECIPIENTS OF HONOURS BE CONTACTED FOR INTERVIEWS OR FOR INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THEIR CAREERS OR BE APPROACHED IN ANY WAY IN CONNECTION WITH THEIR AWARDS BEFORE THESE HAVE BEEN PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED.

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INCREASED PENALTIES FOR THROWING OR DROPPING

OBJECTS FROM BUILDINGS

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THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO INTRODUCE STIFFER PENALTIES TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC AGAINST OBJECTS BEING THROWN OR DROPPED FROM BUILDINGS.

THE PROPOSED NEW PENALTIES ARE CONTAINED IN A BILL TO AMEND THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE. THE BILL IS PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION AND WILL SHORTLY BE PUT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

UNDER THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, ANYONE WHO THROWS, DROPS OR ALLOWS AN OBJECT TO FALL FROM A BUILDING WHICH ENDANGERS THE PUBLIC WILL BE LIABLE TO A FINE OF $10,000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS AS AGAINST THE PRESENT PENALTY OF A $500 FINE AND THREE MONTHS IMPRISONMENT.

THE NEW PROVISIONS ALSO MAKE THE OCCUPIER OF THAT PART OF THE BUILDING FROM WHICH THE OBJECT WAS THROWN OR DROPPED, GUILTY OF AN OFFENCE.

IN THE CASE OF BUILDINGS THAT ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED, REPAIRED OR DECORATED, THE PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR ON THE SITE AND THE CONTRACTOR CARRYING OUT THE WORK WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE AND WOULD BE LIABLE TO A FINE OF $50,000 AND ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT.

IT WILL BE A DEFENCE, HOWEVER, IF THE OCCUPIER OR THE CONTRACTOR CAN PROVE TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE COURT THAT HE COULD NOT HAVE REASONABLY PREVENTED THE OBJECT FROM BEING DROPPED OR ALLOWED TO FALL FROM THE BUILDING TO THE DANGER OF THE PUBLIC OR THAT REASONABLE MEASURES HAD BEEN TAKEN BY HIMSELF OR ANOTHER PERSON TO PREVENT IT HAPPENING.

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