TNAG-0194-FCO40-230-Emergency-legislation-and-Public-Order-ordinance-discussions-1969 — Page 85

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

W(B)L 51-7406

CONFIDENTIAL

Public Order Ordinance

2.

The Public Order Ordinance was brought into

operation in November 1967 at the height of the

disturbances in the Colony. Its purpose was to

consolidate into one Ordinance the various pro-

visions dealing with public order and to

strengthen the law where experience had shown

this to be desirable. Work on the preparation

of the Ordinance had been in progress for more

than two years prior to its enactment; account

was taken in its drafting of the experience

gained during the 1967 disturbances.

Governor sought our views on the draft

The

Ordinance before its enactment and the proposed

legislation was given careful and prolonged

examination in the Commonwealth Office before

it was agreed to.

Shortly after its enactment was strongly

The

the Ordinance became the target of considerable

sed

criticien which was levelled at-it by "Justice".

It was also the subject of a petition to

Parliament by the Reform Club of Hong Kong (an

organisation of some 5,000 paid-up members)

which was submitted through the medium Of

Mr. John Rankin, M.P and it was the subject of

two Parliamentary Questions In February 1969

Mr. Frank Allaun asked two P.Q's. about it,

Amending Bill

3. In January 1969 the Governor forwarded

va a draft Bill to amend the Principal

Ordinance,

S.

which were to

The main purposed

rposed of the Bill-were-

to amend the Ordinance in order to

CONFIDENTIAL

/ meet

...