APPENDIX III
COMMENT
Bring the horse back
THE appeal to the Queen her to with-
Tasking
hold consent for the Public Order Bill may have been made a little late. None- theless the argument that the Bill is "contrary to the fundamental principles of British justice" makes such an appeal justified.
There are sections of the Bill which do allow perfunctory arrest, and as Mrs Elsie Elliott has stated, there are great sections of the public who would not know when their rights were being violated.
The Bill has been RUSHED into law.
Once again the appoint- ed members of the Legis- lative Council have failed in
their duty to the majority of those who live in Hongkong.
Without one utterance except aye, they have forced upon us a law which is perfectly suitable under the present circumstances
an
emergency but one which has no place as soon as these conditions change, and that time is fast approaching.
The China Mail's major criticism of the Bill is that it should not be in force at all times. The Governor is always easily contacted and should the police feel any situation is getting out of hand because they are restricted, the new laws could be brought into effect.
This assumes that the situation now confronting us would explode in one incident, which of course is not likely. We have a Special Branch which is supposed to keep the police and Governor in- formed of such develop- ments.
It is still not too late to close the barn door-the Reform Club should con- tinue with its appeal.
No comments yet.
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