XN000022-1982-01-20 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1982

AUTOMATIC MACHINES ISSUE UNDER STUDY *****

THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING WHETHER IT IS NECESSARY TO INTRODUCE FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING LEGISLATION TO ENSURE THAT AUTOMATIC MACHINES WHICH DO NOT SHOW A SCORE ARE LICENSABLE UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS LICENCES ORDINANCE,

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON DENIS BRAY, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON F.K. HU IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MR BRAY SAID BOTH THE POLICE AND LEGAL DEPARTMENT WERE LOOKING INTO THIS.

+ IT SEEMS PROBABLE IT CAN ONLY BE ANSWERED IN THE COURTS,+ HE SAID.

+ IT DOES HOWEVER SEEM TO A LAYMAN THAT IF A MACHINE DOES NOT REGISTER ANY SCORE OR COMBINATION IN ANY MANNER AND IF IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY OTHER OF THE FUNCTIONS WHICH BRINGS IT WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF THE ORDINANCE, THEN THAT MACHINE IS NOT LICENSABLE, HE SAID.

HE SAID THE COMMISSIONER FOR TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING IS NOT AWARE OF ANY COMMERCIALLY MANUFACTURED AUTOMATIC OR VIDEO GAME MACHINE WHICH DOES NOT SHOW A SCORE OF SOME SORT.

+IF SUCH MACHINES EXIST THEY WILL PROBABLY BE MACHINES FROM WHICH THE SCORE MECHANISM HAVE BEEN DELIBERATELY REMOVED,+ HE SAID.

REPORTS HAD BEEN RECEIVED THAT SOME UNLICENSED ESTABLISHMENTS WERE STILL OPERATING WITH NEUTERED MACHINES OF THIS KIND.

+ IF WE ARE ADVISED THAT THE MACHINES IN QUESTION ARE BEYOND LICENSING CONTROL, AND IF HONG KONG SEES A RASH OF UNLICENSED ESTABLISHMENTS OPENING UP TO USE THEM, AND ESPECIALLY IF SUCH MACHINES BEGIN TO BE COMMERCIALLY MANUFACTURED IN THIS FORM, THEN THE GOVERNMENT WILL MAKE PROPOSALS FOR FRESH LEGISLATION TO ENSURE THAT SUCH GAMES CENTRES ARE BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL.

+I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT, HOWEVER, THAT IT WOULD BE MORE SENSIBLE FOR OPERATORS TO APPLY FOR A LICENCE SO THAT EVERY MACHINE IN THE IR ESTABLISHMENT WAS FULLY FUNCTIONING RATHER THAN RESORT TO THIS TORTUOUS CIRCUMVENTION,+ HE ADDED.

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