RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 25120OZ PEKING
TELNO 73
OF 25100OZ JULY 90
AND TO DESKBY 25120OZ
FCO
RESTRICTED
TOP COPY Q DIST?
3
000007 MDHIAN 0113
INFO ROUTINE BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
FOR PS/MR MAUDE
HKB ON
15
RECEIVED IN RE
3 1 JUL 1990
LSK
PROSECUTIONS FOR USING LOUD HAILERS
WE UNDERSTAND THAT MR MAUDE WISHES BACKGROUND MATERIAL FOR HIS
PRESS CONFERENCE TOMORROW ABOUT THE TRIAL OF FIVE MEMBERS OF THE
UNITED DEMOCRATS OF HONG KONG ON CHARGES CONNECTED WITH THE USE OF LOUDSPEAKERS, AND THE COLLECTION OF MONEY IN PUBLIC. WE HOPE THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL WILL BE USEFUL:
QUOTE
IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR ME TO COMMENT AT THIS STAGE ON THE
DETAILS OF THE CASES INVOLVED SINCE THE MATTER IS SUB-JUDICE
PENDING THE OUTCOME OF COURT HEARINGS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS. HOWEVER, IT MIGHT BE USEFUL IF I WERE TO REVIEW IN GENERAL TERMS
HOW THE OFFENCES ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED ARE PERCEIVED IN HONG KONG.
CONTROLS ON THE USE OF LOUDSPEAKERS IN PUBLIC ARE PROVIDED UNDER THE NOISE CONTROL ORDINANCE (CAP. 400) AND THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE (CAP. 228). IT MUST BE BORNE IN MIND THAT IN HONG KONG'S HIGHLY URBANISED ENVIRONMENT, WITH SOME OF THE HIGHEST POPULATION DENSITIES IN THE WORLD, UNCONTROLLED USE OF LOUDSPEAKERS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE EXCESSIVE DISTURBANCE TO THE PUBLIC. IT IS ALSO
VITAL THAT THERE BE NO UNNECESSARY INTERFERENCE WITH POLICE CROWD
CONTROL DIRECTIONS. THE USE OF LOUDSPEAKERS IS ALLOWED WHERE NO CONFLICT WITH POLICE OPERATIONS IS LIKELY, AND WHERE THE DEGREE OF NOISE POLLUTION IS ACCEPTABLE HAVING REGARD TO ALL THE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
PERMITS TO COLLECT MONEY IN PUBLIC ARE ISSUED BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE (CAP. 228) TO ENSURE THAT ONLY BONA FIDE ORGANISATIONS ARE ALLOWED TO SOLICIT FUNDS FROM THE PUBLIC. THE AIM OF THE LEGISLATION IS TO PROVIDE THAT MONIES ARE APPLIED FOR THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH THEY ARE COLLECTED, AND THAT APPROPRIATE ACCOUNTING
1
PAGE
RESTRICTED
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.