XN000022-1982-10-08 — Page 6

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1982

STIFFER PENALTIES FOR ILLEGAL HAWKING IN NT

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UNLICENSED HAWKERS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WERE ADVISED TODAY THAT THE COURTS WOULD ORDER MANDATORY FORFEITURE OF SEIZED COMMODITIES AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE OFFENCE OF HAWKING WITHOUT A LICENCE, UNDER NEW REGULATIONS COMING INTO EFFECT TODAY.

IN ADDITION, AN OFFENDER WOULD BE LIABLE TO A FINE OF $500 AND IMPRISONMENT OF ONE MONTH ON FIRST CONVICTION, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE PENALTY ON SUBSEQUENT CONVICTION COULD BE A FINE OF $2 000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS, AND A FURTHER FINE OF $25 A DAY FOR A CONTINUING OFFENCE.

THE STIFFER PENALTIES ARE PROVIDED UNDER THE HAWKER (NEW TERRITORIES) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND URBAN SERVICES ORDINANCE GAZETTED TODAY.

THE NEW REGULATIONS PROVIDE FOR THE MANDATORY FORFEITURE

OF GOODS FOR THE FOLLOWING OFFENCES:

*

ALLOWING A PERSON OTHER THAN THE LICENSEE TO USE A FIXED PITCH OR HAWKER STALL FOR CARRYING OUT BUSINESS;

* EXTENDING A FIXED PITCH OR HAWKER STALL ILLEGALLY:

* PLACING GOODS OR EQUIPMENT OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF A FIXED

PITCH OR HAWKER STALL: AND

* HAWK ING IN A HAWKER RESTRICTED AREA.

UNDER THE NEW REGULATIONS, A HAWKER LICENCE HOLDER IS PROHIBITED FROM SUBLETTING OR ILLEGALLY TRANSFERRING HIS LICENCE.

A HAWKER GUILTY OF THIS OFFENCE WILL FORFEIT HIS LICENCE AND THE ILLEGAL OPERATOR WILL BE PROSECUTED, HE SAID.

LICENSED HAWKERS ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A REFUSE BIN AND TO KEEP THE IR STALLS OR PITCHES CLEAN.

+ THE MAIN PURPOSE OF AMENDING THE REGULATIONS FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES IS TO ACHIEVE GREATER CONFORMITY WITH THE HAWKER BY-LAWS WHICH HAVE EFFECT IN THE URBAN AREAS, SAID THE SPOKESMAN.

HAWKER LICENCE HOLDERS WERE ALSO ADVISED THAT THEY SHOULD USE THE IR STALLS FOR HAWKING ONLY.