TNAG-1553-FCO40-2117-Hong-Kong-Control-of-Publications-Consolidation-Ordinance-19-1986 — Page 84

SECTION 7(5)

CAN BE RETAINED TO ALLOW A PUBLISHER TO NOTIFY THAT HE HAS CEASED

PUBLICATION.

SECTION 8

CAN BE RETAINED.

SECTION 9(1), (2)

CAN BE RETAINED.

SECTION 10(3)

THE PUBLIC OFFICER SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF

THE TWO DEPARTMENTS.

SECTION 10(4), (5)

CAN BE RETAINED. NEEDS REDRAFTING.

SECTION 11

CAN BE RETAINED. NEEDS REDRAFTING.

SECTION 12(A)(B)

CAN BE RETAINED. NEEDS REDRAFTING.

SECTION 13(1), 13(2)(A) TO (D)

PROBABLY A NECESSARY EVIL.

SECTION 14(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7)

OK. BUT SHOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH OBJECTIONABLE PUBLICATION

ORDINANCE.

SECTION 15 TO SECTION 18

CAN BE RETAINED. NEEDS REDRAFTING.

SECTION 20

PENALTIES SHOULD FALL IN LINE WITH OFFENCES IN THE OBJECTIONABLE PUBLICATION ORDINANCE.

IN SHORT, I BELIEVE THAT PRESS FREEDOM MUST BE FIRMLY ANCHORED ONTO AND PROTECTED BY THE COMMON LAW, AND LIKEWISE 'CONTROLLED'' BY THE DISCIPLINES OF THE COMMON LAW RATHER THAN BY COMPLICATED STATUTORY LEGISLATION. THIS MUST CONTINUE TO BE THE PRACTICE EVEN

AFTER 1997.

ENDS

4

|MR.