XN000022-1982-05-19 — Page 7

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1982

MOVE TO CONTROL TRIAD INFILTRATION

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THE SOCIETIES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982, IF PASSED INTO LAW, WILL GIVE THE REGISTRAR OF SOCIETIES AN EFFECTIVE MEANS OF CONTROLLING AN UNDESIRABLE TREND OF INFILTRATION OF MARTIAL ARTS ASSOCIATIONS BY TRIAD SOCIETIES, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JOHN GRIFFITHS SAIR TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL, MR GRIFFITHS EXPLAINED THAT THE BILL AROSE FROM CONTINUED AND INCREASING CONCERN THAT TRIAD SOCIETIES HAD FOUND A CONVENIENT FRONT IN SOME MARTIAL ARTS SOCIETIES FOR THE PROMOTION OF ORGANISED CRIME.

HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT MARTIAL ARTS ARE AN ACCEPTABLE RECREATIONAL AND SPORTING ACTIVITY, BUT SAID THE INSTRUCTORS OR THE ORGANISERS OF A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF MARTIAL ARTS ASSOCIATIONS HAD CONNECTIONS WITH TRIAD-RELATED OFFENCES.

THE PRESENT SOCIETIES ORDINANCE, ALTHOUGH GENERALLY EFFECTIVE, WAS DEFICIENT IN CERTAIN AREAS AND SOME MARTIAL ARTS SOCIETIES COULD EVADE CONTROLS BY REGISTERING AS BUSINESS+ UNDER THE BUSINESS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE, HE SAID.

+NO SUCH LEGISLATION EXISTS WITH RESPECT TO A MARTIAL ARTS ASSOCIATION OF NOT MORE THAN 20 PERSONS WHICH REGISTERS UNDER THE BUSINESS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 310) AS A REGISTERED BUSINESS, + HE SAID.

+ACCORDINGLY, IT IS STILL POSSIBLE FOR A SMALL TRIAD-CONNECTED MARTIAL ARTS ASSOCIATION TO EXEMPT ITSELF FROM CONTROL UNDER THE SOCIETIES ORDINANCE.+

CITING FROM A POLICE SURVEY IN 1980, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL POINTED OUT THAT OF THE 625 KNOWN MARTIAL ARTS ASSOCIATIONS 95 WERE REGISTERED AS BUSINESSES UNDER THE BUSINESS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE.

*THIS BILL WILL REMOVE THAT AVOIDANCE TECHNIQUE,+ HE SAID.

THE BILL ALSO GIVES THE REGISTRAR OF SOCIETIES NEW POWERS SO THAT HE MAY CONTROL THOSE SOCIETIES WHERE UNDESIRABLE CRIMINAL ELEMENTS ARE OFFICE-BEARERS OR MEMBERS.

+HE IS ALSO EMPOWERED EITHER TO REFUSE TO REGISTER, TO REFUSE TO EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION, OR, IN AN APPROPRIATE CASE, TO DE-REGISTER A SOCIETY IF HE FINDS AN OFFICE-BEARER HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF AN OFFENCE OF SUCH SERIOUSNESS AS TO RENDER HIM UNF IT TO HOLD OFFICE,+ MR GRIFFITHS SAID.

HOWEVER, HE ASSURED REPUTABLE SOCIETIES THAT THEY HAD NOTHING TO FEAR AND THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION WAS TO CONTROL AND REGULATE SOCIETIES ONLY WHERE THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF UNDESIRABLE OR CRIMINAL INFLUENCES.