XN000022-1986-12-18 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1986

THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINSTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION, MR JAMES SO, SAID THAT THIS EXERCISE IS MAINLY AIMED AT UPDATING OUTDATED LEGISLATION. HE SAID THAT THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE WAS ENACTED IN 1951 AND MANY OF ITS PROVISIONS ARE NOW OUT OF DATE,

HE ADDED THAT THE PROVISIONS WHICH DEAL WITH THE SUPPRESSION OF NEWSPAPERS AND THE SUSPENSION OF THEIR PUBLICATION HAD BEEN USED SPARINGLY, AND NOT AT ALL SINCE 1967 IN WHICH YEAR THREE LOCAL NEWSPAPERS WERE SUSPENDED FOR SIX MONTHS FOLLOWING THE CONVICTION OF THEIR PUBLISHERS, PRINTERS AND EDITORS ON CHARGES OF SEDITION.

IN FACT THE SECTION DEALING WITH THE PROHIBITION OF THE IMPORTATION OF PUBLICATIONS HAD NEVER BEEN INVOKED AND IT WAS DOUBTFUL IF IT EVER WOULD BE INVOKED. AND PARTS RELATING TO THE PUBLICATION OF MATERIAL WHICH COULD INDUCE SOMEONE TO BECOME A MEMBER OF AN UNLAWFUL SOCIETY PRESENT PROBLEMS OF ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL IS NOT EMPOWERED TO MAKE SUCH DECLARATIONS EXCEPT UNDER EMERGENCY REGULATIONS.

MR SO SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WAS SATISFIED THAT ACTION TO REPEAL THE PROVISIONS WAS JUSTIFIED BASICALLY ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT WAS WRONG IN PRINCIPLE TO RETAIN OBSOLETE PROVISIONS ON THE STATUTE BOOK.

HE ADDED THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAD ALSO EXAMINED THE PROVISION FOR THE REGISTRATION OF NEWSPAPERS AND FELT THAT THEY SHOULD BE RETAINED IN THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE AND SUBSIDIARY REGULATIONS FOR LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND NEWS AGENCIES.

HOWEVER, IT IS PROPOSED TO REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT FOR A DEPOSIT TO BE MADE TO THE REGISTRATION OF A LOCAL NEWSPAPER ($10 000) AND OF A NEWS AGENCY ($1 000) WHILE RETAINING THE PROVISIONS REQUIRING THEIR REGISTRATION.

IT WAS NOTED THAT THE LEVEL OF FEES FOR THE REGISTRATION OF NEWSPAPERS AND NEWS AGENCIES HAD REMAINED UNALTERED SINCE 1951 AND MR SO SAID THE PROPOSED INCREASES RAISE THE LEVEL OF ANNUAL REGISTRATION FEES FROM $100 TO $450 AND THE ANCILLARY FEES FOR SEARCHES, EXTRACTS AND THE CHANGE OF PARTICULARS ON THE REGISTERS TO WITHIN A RANGE OF $15 TO $65.

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IT IS ALSO PROPOSED TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM FINES UNDER THE ORDINANCE ON SUMMARY CONVICTION FROM $2 000 TO $5 000 AND UPON CONVICTION ON INDICTMENT FROM $10 000 TO $15 000 WITH THE RELEVANT TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT REMAINING AT ONE YEAR AND THREE YEARS RESPECTIVELY. AGAIN,

AGAIN, SAID MR SO, THIS IS BECAUSE THE PENALTIES WERE FIXED IN 1951 AND HAD NOT BEEN ALTERED SINCE.

+WITH MANY SECTIONS OF THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE BEING REPEALED AND ITS CONTENTS BEING CONFINED TO MATTERS RELATING TO THE REGISTRATION OF NEWSPAPERS IT IS PROPOSED TO RETITLE THE ORDINANCE THE REGISTRATION OF LOCAL NEWSPAPERS ORDINANCE,+ SAID MR So.

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