ENG-1946 — Page 107

67

The last proclamation of the Military Administration and the first ordinance of the reconstituted legislature were passed on the same day, 1st May, 1946. The purpose of this Ordin- ance, No. 1 of 1946, is sufficiently summarised in its long title which reads: "An Ordinance to restrict the taking of legal proceedings in respect of certain acts done and payments made during the war period and to validate certain proclamations, rules, regulations, orders and other legislative acts issued, made and passed, and sentences, judgments and orders of certain courts and officers given and made during the war period". By Ordinance. No. 2, the Law Amendment (Transi- tional Provisions) Ordinance, 1946, all the legislation of the Military Administration was either incorporated, with or without modification, into the law of the Colony or repealed. Ordinance No. 3, the Administration of Justice (Transitional Provisions) Ordinance, 1946, gave to the Supreme and Magis- terial Courts jurisdiction over offences committed during the period of the British Military Administration but not disposed of by the Military Courts. These three ordinances were passed through all their stages on 1st May, 1946.

Other Legislation during the Year.

During the period 1st May, 1946, to 31st December, 1946, thirty-one ordinances, including those mentioned in the preceding paragraph, were enacted. Much of this legislation was designed to meet needs arising from the war in general and from the Japanese occupation of the Colony in par- ticular. Ordinance No. 7, the Chinese Collaborators (Sur- render) Ordinance, was enacted to provide, with proper safe-guards, an expeditious procedure for surrendering to the Chinese Authorities persons sheltering in Hong Kong who, during the war period, had collaborated with the Japanese in China. Ordinance No. 16, the Protected Places (Safety) Ordinance, 1946, was made necessary by the serious increase in crime which had made itself felt after the war. There had been persistent theft of Government property and stores of the fighting services and the ordinance gave to certain classes of sentries and guards authority to use firearms where necessary for the protection of certain classes of pre- mises. The necessity for this ordinance is to be reviewed from time to time with a view to effecting its repeal as soon as conditions permit.

Two ordinances were repealed during the year, the Peak District (Residence) Ordinance and the Cheung Chau (Resi- dence) Ordinance. These two ordinances had provided that no person should reside in the Peak area of Hong Kong Island or in certain areas of Cheung Chau Island without the permis- sion of the Governor-in-Council.

4

68