OBSCENE PUBLICATIONS ORDINANCE, 1914

OBSCENE PUBLICATIONS ORDINANCE, 1914

No. 15 of 1914.

An Ordinance for more effectually preventing the publica-
tion of obscene books, pictures, and other articles.

[5th June, 1914.]

1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Obscene Publica-
tions Ordinance, 1914.

2. When it appeal's to any justice of the peace upon the
oath of any person that there is reasonable canse to believe
that any obscene or indecent books, Dapers, writings, prints,
pictures, drawings, figures, or other representations, are
kept in any house, shop, or other place, or on board any boat
or vessel (not being a vessel which is or has the status of a
for the purpose of sale, ship of war) within the Colony
distribution, exhibition, lending upon hire, or being other-
wise published, such justice of the peac& may by his warrant
directed to any police officer empower such-officer by day or
by night to enter such house, shop, or other place, or to go
on board such boat or and there to search for and





take possession of any such bpoks, papers, writings, prints,
pictures, drawings, figures, or other representations as
aforesaid found in such house, shop, or other place, or on
board such. boat or vessel, and to carry all the articles so
seized before a magistrate.

3. Such officer may if necessary-

(1) break open any outer or inner door of. such house,
shop, or other place, and enter thereinto;

(2) forcibly enter such boat or vessel and every part
thereof;

(3) remove by force any obstruction to such entry, search,
seizure, or removal as he is empowered to effect; and

(4) detain any person found in such house, shop, or place,
or on board such boat or vessel, until such house, shop,
place, boat, or vessel has been searched.

4. When any such books, papers, writings, prints,
pictures, drawings, figures, or other representations so
seized as aforesaid shall be brought before a magistrate,
such magistrate or some other magistrate shall thereupon
issue a summons calling upon the occupier of the house,
shop, or other place, or the licensee or captain of the boat
or vessel, where or on board which the said articles were
so found, to appear at a place and time to be named in
such summons before a magistrate to show cause why the
articles so seized should not be destroyed; and if such
occupier or some other person claiming to be the owner
of the sald articles shall not appear at the time and place
aforesaid, or shall appear and the magistrate shall be
satisfied that such articles or any of thein are obscene or
indecent and that such or any of them have been kept
for any of the purposes aforesaid, it shall be lawful for the
said magistrate, and he is hereby required, to order the
articles so seized, except such of them as he considers
necessary to be preserved as evidence in some further
proceedings, to be destroyed after the expiration of seven
ddys, unless an applicaiion be duly made to the said
magistrate in the meantime to state and sign a case or to
grant leave to appeal to the Full Court by way of a
re-hearing, and such articles shall be in the meantime
impounded.
[Originally No. 15 of 1914.] Short title. Warrant to search for and seize obscene articles kept for publication. Powers of officer executing warrant. Summons to occupier, etc, and destruction of articles.

[Originally No. 15 of 1914.] Short title. Warrant to search for and seize obscene articles kept for publication. Powers of officer executing warrant. Summons to occupier, etc, and destruction of articles.

https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/1284

1923

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