232272-1936-Supplementary-Bills-read-a-first-time--Telecommunication-Amendment-Hong-Kong-Government-Service-Levy-on-Salaries- — Page 1

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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

No. 8. 386.-The following Bills were read a first time at a meeting of the Council held on the 30th December, 1936:--

Short title.

Amendment

of Ordinance No. 18 of 1936, s. 4.

Amendment of Ordinance

No. 18 of

1936, s. 31 (1).

Suspending clause.

A BILL

[No. 46-8.12.36.-1.]

INTITULED

An Ordinance to amend the Telecommunication Ordinance,

1936.

Be it enacted by the Governor of Hong Kong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:-

1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Telecommunication Amendment Ordinance, 1937.

2. Section 4 of the Telecommunication Ordinance, 1936, is amended by the repeal of sub-section (2) thereof and by the substitution of the following sub-sections therefor :—-

(2) The powers conferred by paragraph (c) of sub- section (1) may also be exercised by the Governor, or any officer specially authorized by him in that behalf, in any case which appears to be dangerous to the security of the Colony, or contrary to the laws of the Colony, or contrary to public order or decency.

(3) If any doubt arises as to the existence of a public emergency, or whether any act done under this section was in the interest of the security of the Colony or of the enforce- ment of the laws of the Colony or of public order or decency, a certificate signed by the Governor and delivered to the person in charge of the telegraph shall be conclusive proof on the point.

3. Sub-section (1) of section 31 of the Telecommunica- tion Ordinance, 1936, is amended by the insertion of the words "seal or" before the word "seize" in the twelfth line.

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4. This Ordinance shall not come into operation unless and until the Governor notifies by Proclamation that it is His Majesty's pleasure not to disallow the same and thereafter it shall come into operation upon such day as the Governor shall notify by the same or any other Proclamation.

Objects and Reasons.

1. Under Article 26 of the International Telecommunica- tion Convention of Madrid, 1932, the Contracting Govern- ments reserve to themselves the right to stop the transmission of any private telegram or radiotelegram which may appear