XN000022-1987-03-11 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1987

IT WAS THE RESULT OF THESE MEETINGS, WHICH CONSIDERED IN DETAILS THE PUBLISHED BILL AS WELL AS POINTS RAISED BY THE HONG KONG JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATION, THAT THE AMENDMENT TABLED TODAY WAS AGREED BY THE MAJORITY OF MEMBERS OF THE AD HOC GROUP.

MR FORD POINTED OUT THAT THE REMOVAL OF THE WORD +MALICIOUS+ AND THE WIDENING OF THE CLAUSE SO THAT IT WAS NOT LIMITED TO THE PRESS WAS INITIATED BY A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE AD HOC GROUP.

TAKEN,

+THERE MUST COME A TIME WHEN A MAJORITY DECISION MUST BE

HE SAID.

HE SAID THAT IF THE VIEWS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL COULD NOT REACH A CONSENSUS, THEN WE SHOULD PUT THE MATTER TO THE VOTE+.

+WITH THESE REMARKS, I OBJECT THE MOTION OF MR SZETO WAH, + HE ADDED.

FEATURES OF BILLS HIGHLIGHTED

*****

THE CONVENER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP TO STUDY THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS CONSOLIDATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986 AND THE PUBLIC ORDER (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986, THE HON PETER C. WONG TODAY (WEDNESDAY) HIGHLIGHTED SOME AREAS OF THE TWO BILLS WHERE CONSENSUS WAS REACHED, AND THE AREA WHERE A COMMON VIEW COULD NOT BE OBTAINED.

SPEAKING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE OF THE BILLS, MR WONG FIRST REFERRED TO THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS CONSOLIDATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986 AND POINTED OUT THAT SUPPRESSION PROVISIONS ON LOCAL NEWSPAPERS HAD BEEN USED MOST SPARINGLY DURING THE EXISTENCE OF THE ORDINANCE, WHICH WAS ENACTED IN 1951.

+THE PROPOSED DELETION OF 10 SECTIONS RELATING TO CONTROL AND SUPPRESSION OF LOCAL NEWSPAPER IS THEREFORE SUPPORTED BY THE AD HOC GROUP AS A POSITIVE STEP TOWARDS ENHANCING FREEDOM OF OUR PRESS, + HE SAID.

HE SAID MEMBERS WERE ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE AMOUNT OF PERSONAL DETAILS REQUIRED UNDER THE REGULATIONS RELATING TO REGISTRATION OF NEWSPAPERS, SUCH AS THE REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE PHOTOGRAPHS, HOME ADDRESSES AND HOME TELEPHONE NUMBERS.

/+THE ADMINISTRATION