ENG-1948 — Page 120

1932, as amended between that year and 1941. Experience gained. in the operation of the 1932 Police Force Ordinance and the need for general reconstitution and reorganisation of the Police Force consequent on the period of enemy occupation of the Colony showed the necessity for substantial amendment and consolidation of the law. The Ordinance, inter alia, makes precise definition of the control of the Force and pays particular attention to the method of enforcing discipline within the Force. The main feature in regard to discipline is that officers other than gazetted officers are now dealt with exclusively under the Ordinance and the Commis- sioner of Police has power to dismiss such officers other than Inspectors. An innovation is made in that there is now provision for the establishment, definition and control of a Police Welfare Fund.

The principal object of good Government must necessarily be not only to provide means to deal rapidly and effectively with serious threats to law and order but also so far as possible to forestall the development of any such serious threat. The Public Order Ordinance, 1948, an Ordinance to facilitate the maintenance of public order and safety, was enacted this year and seeks to achieve the objective described in the Colony of Hong Kong. The legislation is designed to curb the activities of political organisations which seek to advance their views by force while at the same time preserving and strengthening the right of public meeting of ordin- ary peaceful citizens. Furthermore with the object of ensuring that the

person and property of inhabitants of the Colony will receive the maximum protection in an emergency the Ordinance bestows wide powers on the Governor to--

(a) declare a curfew within a specified area;

(b) close an area to all persons not having the requisite

(c)

permit;

order the evacuation of any area or place;

(d) prohibit the movement or anchorage of any craft or use of any waters of the Colony by craft of any specified class.

The Hong Kong Defence Force Ordinance, 1948, contains legislation the effect of which is to revive and extend the pre-war Volunteer Forces. The organisation to be set up under the Ordinance is to be known as the Hong Kong Defence Force and it will embrace all three armed services, i.e. Navy, Army and Air Force. Enrolment in the Force is voluntary and is open to persons of all nationalities, the oath being so worded that non-British citizens may join without endangering their own national status. A member of the Force may be required to serve outside the

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