INDECENT EXHIBITIONS ORDINANCE
Title
INDECENT EXHIBITIONS ORDINANCE
Description
CHAPTER 150.
INDECENT EXHIBITIONS.
To prohibit exhibitions, publications and advertisements of an
indecent, obscene, revolting or offensive nature.
[31st May, 1918.]
1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Indecent Exhibitions
Ordinance.
2. No person shall, on payment or gratuitously, expose to public
view in or near any public place any written or printed matter, or any
picture, figure or other thing, or any exhibition, which is of an indecent,
obscene, revolting or offensive nature.
3. No person shall publish in any new newspaper, or by such or
any other means distribute to the public, any matter which is of an
indecent, obscene, revolting or offensive nature.
4. Any advertisement whatsoever relating to syphilis, gonorrhoea
nervous debility, or other complaint or infirmity arising from or relating
to sexual intercourse, shall for the purposes of this Ordinance be
deemed to be niatter of an indecent nature : Provided that this section
shall not apply to any advertisement in any bona fide medical
newspaper, medical book or other medical publication.
5. Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of this
Ordinance shall upon summary conviction be liable to a fine of five
thousand dollars or to imprisonment for six months.
6. (1) Whenever it appears to a justice of the peace upon the oath
of any person that there is reasonable cause to suspect that any
written or printed matter or any picture, figure or other thing, which is
of an indecent, obscene, revolting or offensive nature, is to be found in
any building, vessel (not being a ship of war or a ship having the
status of a ship of war) or other place, such Justice of the peace may by
warrant directed to any police officer empower him, with such
assistants as may be necessary by, day or by night to enter and if
necessary to break into or forcibly enter such building, vessel or other
place and to search for and take possession of any written or printed
matter, or any picture,
figure or other thing, which appears to such police officer or to his
assistants to be of an indecent, obscene, revolting or offensive nature.
(2) Mere any written or printed matter or picture which appears to
such police officer or to his assistants to be of aii indecent, obscene,
revolting or offensive nature is contained in any newspaper, book,
magazine magazine or pamphlet, it shall be lawful for such police Officer
and his assistants to take possession of the whole of such newspaper,
book, magazine or pamphlet.
7. (1) Any written or printed matter, or picture, figure or other
thing, taken possession of under any Warrant issued under the
provisions of section 6 shall forthwith be taken before a magistrate to
be disposed of according to law.
(2) It shall be lawful for a magistrate to order to be forfeited any
written or printed matter, or any picture, figure or other thing, which
appears to hirn to be of an indecent, obscene, revolting or offensive
nature.
(3) If any written or printed matter or picture which appears to a
magistrate to be of an indecent, obscene, revolting or offensive natere
is contained in any newspaper, book, magazine or pamphlet, any order
of forfeiture made, under the provisions of this section may include the
forfeiture of the whole of such newspaper, book, magazine or pamphlet.
(4) Anything which is ordered to be forfeited tinder the
provisions of this section may be disposed of in such manner as a
magistrate shall direct.
(5) If any written or printed matter, or picture, figure or other thing,
which appears to a magistrate to be of an indecent, obscene, revolting
or offensive nature, is affixed to or painted upon any building, it shall
be lawful for such magistrate to order the owner or occupier of such
building to remove or efface such written or printed matter, or picture,
figure or other thing, and if the person against whom the order is made
fails to comply with the said order within such time as may be limited by
Such magistrate, it shall be lawful for a magistrate by order under his
hand to empower any, police officer, with such assistants as may be
necessary, to enter and if necessary to break into or forcibly enter such
building, and to remove or efface such written or printed matter, or
picture, figure or other thing.
Originally 3 of 1918. Fraser 3 of 1918. 21 of 1949. Short title. Objectionable exhibitions. Objectionable publications. Certain advertisements declared indecent. 52 & 53 Vict. C. 18, s. 5. Penalties. 21 of 1949, s.2. Search warrant. 21 of 1949, s.2. [s. 6 cont.] Forfeiture.
Abstract
Originally 3 of 1918. Fraser 3 of 1918. 21 of 1949. Short title. Objectionable exhibitions. Objectionable publications. Certain advertisements declared indecent. 52 & 53 Vict. C. 18, s. 5. Penalties. 21 of 1949, s.2. Search warrant. 21 of 1949, s.2. [s. 6 cont.] Forfeiture.
Identifier
https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/1944
Edition
1950
Volume
v4
Subsequent Cap No.
150
Number of Pages
2
Files
Collection
Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online
Citation
“INDECENT EXHIBITIONS ORDINANCE,” Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online, accessed April 25, 2025, https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/1944.