PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT REGULATION ORDINANCE, 1919

PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT REGULATION ORDINANCE, 1919

No. 22 of 1919.

An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the law relating to
Places of public enteTtainment.

[31st October, 1919.]

1. This Ordinance,, may. be cited. as the Places of Public
Entertainment Regulation Ordinance, 1919.

2. In this Ordinance or any regulation made thereunder,

(a) Entertainment includes any concert, stage play, stage
performance, .cinematograph display, exhibition of dancing,

As ameiided by Law Rev. Ord., 1939, Supp. Sched.
The provisions of the Celluloid and Cinematograph Film Ordinance, 1923,
do not apply to premises licensed under this Ordinance : see No. 23
of 1923, s. 5.





conjuring or juggling, acrobatic performance, boxing contest or
circus,, or any other entertainment of, a similar, character;

(b) 'Public entertainment' means any entertainment., as
above defined, to which the general public are admitted with or
without payment for admission.

3. It shall not be lawful for any person to keep or use any
permanent or temporary building or matshed for any public
entertainment. without a licence to be, granted as hereinafter
provided, under a penalty not exceeding two hundred dollars for,
,every day on which such building ot matshed has---been so kept
or used. for the purpose aforesaid.

4.-(1) No person shall advertise, present or carry:on any
cinematograph. display to which the public are, invited, or, cause
any such display to be advertised, presented or carried, on, except
,under a permit in writing from the Commissioner of Police., who
shall have full discretion to.grant, withhold or cancel, the same,,
and in the case of a'cinematograph display At..a Chinese theatre
to which the public are invited,,such person must also obtain a
permit in writing for such performance from the Secretary for
Chinese Affairs.

(2) No such permit by the Commissioner of Police shall be
given until the film or films to be used at such display and the.
poster or posters in connexion therewith have been censored and
passed in accordance with such regulations as may be made for
the purpose under this Ord inance,' and any film or poster, when
once censored and pdssed as,,aforesaid, shall not be altered or
added to in any way whatsoever without a fresh. censoring And
passing.

5. Every person who Advertises, presents or carries on any
cinematograph display to which the public are admitted, or
causes the same to be advertised, presented or carried on, without
the permit of the Commissioner of Police shall, upon summary
conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars.

6. It shall be lawful for the Governor in Council to make
regulations for all or any of the following purposes-

As amended by Law Rev.. Ord., 1939, Supp~ Sehed.





(a) the mode of application for licences for any building, whether
permanent or temporary, or for' any matshed, to be used for any public
entertainment, and the issue of such licences to such person, for such period
of time, and.during such hours, as may be respectively determined in every
such licence;

(b) the cancellation of any such licence;

(c) prescribing the payment of fees in respect of all or any of such
licences;

(d) prescribing the materials of which any such licensed. .building or
matshed is to be constructed, and regulating the mode of building .,
staircases, corridors, gangways vestibules, seating accommodation,
entrances, exits, doors and fastenings, and all other matters appertaining to
the same;

(e) requiring the exercise of all such measures as may be prescribed in
any such regulation against overcrowding, and for the control and.
prevention of fire in any such building or matshed, and for the maintenance
of the sanitary condition of such building or matshed;

the maintenance of peace and good order in any such building or
matshed;

(g) the entry and inspection of any such building or matshed at any
time by the Commissioner of Police, the Building Authority and any other
officer authorized by the Governor in that behalf

(h) to provide for the, censoring of cinematograph films and

posters in such manner and on such principles as may be
prescribed -in such regulations

(i) to prescribe the fees to be. paid in respect of such censoring;

to prescribe any conditions whatsoever for any licence, permit or
permission to be given under this Ordinance or under any regulations made
thereunder.;

(h) the imposition of penalties for breach of any regulations

*.As amended by Law Rev. Ord., 1930, Supp. Sched.
made in pursuance of this section and the mode of recovery of the
same; and

(1) generally for the purpose of carrying into effect the
provisions of this Ordinance.

7.-(1) Subject to the provisions of this Ordinance no person shall
advertise, present or carry on any public entertainment without a
permit from the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, the Commissioner, of
Police, or a District Officer.

*(2) Every such permit may be conditional and shall be revocable
by the issuing officer and shall be issued to one person only by name,
the. words 'and others' being added after such person's name.

(3) The person so named shall be responsible for the due
observance of all the conditions of the permit and shall, if, so required,
furnish security for the observance thereof.

(4) Every person who contravenes the provisions of. this section
shall upon summary conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding five
hundred dollars.
[Originally nO. 22 of 1919. No. 18 of 1919. No. 24 of 1930. No. 25 of 1937. Law Rev. Ord., 1939.] Short title. Interpretation. [cf. No. 25 of 1933., s. 2 (b).] Licences for places of public entertainment.* Permits required for cinematograph displays.* Censoring of films and posters. Penalty for presenting cinemas without permit. Power to make regulations for places of [s. 6 contd.] public entertainment.* Permits for public entertainments.* [cf. s. 5.]

[Originally nO. 22 of 1919. No. 18 of 1919. No. 24 of 1930. No. 25 of 1937. Law Rev. Ord., 1939.] Short title. Interpretation. [cf. No. 25 of 1933., s. 2 (b).] Licences for places of public entertainment.* Permits required for cinematograph displays.* Censoring of films and posters. Penalty for presenting cinemas without permit. Power to make regulations for places of [s. 6 contd.] public entertainment.* Permits for public entertainments.* [cf. s. 5.]

https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/1561

1937

v3

172

No. 22 of 1919

4