XN000022-1983-01-19 — Page 14

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1983

PATENT RIGHTS AND COPYRIGHT

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PATENT RIGHTS FOR COMPUTERS ARE THE SAME AS THOSE FOR OTHER INVENTIONS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JOHN GRIFFITHS, SAID TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ALEX WU, MR GRIFFITHS SAID THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PATENTS ORDINANCE (CAP 42) PROVIDES THAT THE POWER TO TAKE ACTION IN RESPECT OF INFRINGEMENTS IS VESTED IN THE PATENT HOLDER.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO SPECIAL POWER UNDER THE ORDINANCE, BUT COMMON LAW REMEDIES OF INJUNCTION AND DAMAGES ARE AVAILABLE, HE SAID.

REPLYING TO THE QUESTION CONCERNING COPYRIGHT OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMES, HE SAID SO LONG AS THEY ARE EXPRESSED IN SOME FORM OF NOTATION WHETHER BY HAND, PRINTING OR SIMILAR PROCESSES THEY MAY QUALIFY AS A CATEGORY OF +ORIGINAL LITERARY WORK+, AND HENCE IN WHICH COPYRIGHT UNDER THE 1956 ACT SUBSISTS.

+COPYRIGHTS IN HONG KONG ARE PROTECTED BY THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1956, AS AMENDED BY THE DESIGN COPYRIGHT ACT 1968, AS EXTENDED TO HONG KONG BY THE COPYRIGHT ORDERS 1972 AND 1979 AND THE COPYRIGHT ORDINANCE (CAP 39), + MR GRIFFITHS SAID.

PENALTIES OF FINES AND IMPRISONMENT ARE PROVIDED BY THE ORDINANCE, AND AUTHORISED OFFICERS ARE GIVEN THE POWER OF SEARCH AND SEIZURE WHEN INVESTIGATING CASES OF COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT, HE EXPLAINED.

IT IS ALSO AN OFFENCE FOR INSTANCE TO SELL, HIRE, EXHIBIT IN PUBLIC OR DISTRIBUTE FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRADE ANY ARTICLE WHICH A PERSON KNOWS TO BE AN INFRINGING COPY OF WORK, HE SAID.

LIMIT ON NUMBER OF NT TAXIS EXTENDED

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THE PERIOD LIMITING THE NUMBER OF MOTOR VEHICLES WHICH MAY BE REGISTERED AS NEW TERRITORIES TAXIS HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO JULY 31.

THE

MOVING THE MOTION AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON ALAN SCOTT SAID THE EXTENSION WILL PERMIT NT TAXI LICENCES TO CONTINUE TO BE ISSUED AT THE RATE OF 50 PER MONTH.

MR SCOTT ALSO REPORTED THAT THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL HAD DIRECTED THAT URBAN TAXI LICENCES SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE ISSUED AT THE CURRENT RATE OF 300 EVERY THREE MONTHS.

THE PRESENT LIMIT OF 12 000, DUE TO EXPIRE ON JANUARY 31, IS NOT THEREFORE RENEWED, AND A NOTICE UNDER SECTION 7E OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE OF A NEW LIMIT OF 15 000 WILL BE GAZETTED TO COME INTO FORCE ON FEBRUARY 1, 1983, MR SCOTT SAID.

+IN GOOD TIME BEFORE THIS NEW LIMIT IS REACHED, IT IS INTENDED THAT A FULL REVIEW OF THE FUTURE ROLE OF THE TAXI IN HONG KONG'S TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN THE CONTEXT OF POLICIES FOR OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORT WILL HAVE BEEN COMPLETED FOR PRESENTATION TO THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL,+ HE SAID.

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