TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGES ORDINANCE, 1894
Title
TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGES ORDINANCE, 1894
Description
No. 3 of 1894.
To secure the rights of property in Telegraphic Messages, and to
prevent the Forgery and improper Disclosure of Telegrains.
[In force 20th May, 1901.]
1. The Telegraphic Messages Ordinance, 1894.
2. Whenever any message, transmitted by telegraph from
any place outside ol this Colony, is received by any person,
association, or company in this Colony, for the purpose of publica-
tion in any newspaper, or, by printed circular or otherwise, to any
limited number of persons members of or subscribers to any such
association or company, no person, whether a member of
or subscriber to such association or company or not, shall,
without the consent in writing of such person, association,
or company by whom such message has been received,
print or publish in any newspaper, or in any letter or
circular or other printed or written cominunication, such telegraphic
message, or the substance thereof, or any extract therefrom, until
after the expiration of a period of 36 hours from the time of the
first publication of such message by the person, association, or
company receiving the same: Provided always that such protected
period shall not extend beyond 48 hours from the time of the first
receipt in the Colony of such message : Provided, also, that
the publication of any similar message lawfully received in Ilke
manner by any other person, association, or company, by such
other person, association, or company sliall not be deemed or taken
to be a publication of such first-mentioned message within this Or-
dinance.
3. Every person who prints or publishes or causes to be printed or
published any matter contrary Ito the provisions of this Ordinance
shall on conviction before a Magistrate, be liable to a fine not
As amended by, No. 1 of 191.2.
As amended by No. 3O of 1911, No. 1 of l912 and No. 2 of 1912
exceeding 100 dollars for the first offence, and not exceeding 150
dollars for the second and every subsc(pient offence. If imprison-
ment is imposed for default of payment it shall be without hard
labour.
4. Every telegraphic message in respect of which the protection
of this Ordinance is claimed shall be published with the heading
'By Telegraph,' and the name of the person, association, or
company claiming such protection, and shall state the date and
hour of its receipt in the Colony and of its pulblication, and such
statement shall be prima facie evidence of the times of the receipt
and publication of such message.
5. In any prosecution under this Ordinance the prodnetion of any
document which purports to be a telegraphic inessage dtily and
regularly issued by any telegraph office in this Colony on its
customary form shall be prima facie evidence that the message
contained therein was received in this Colony by telegraph, from
the place therein mentioned to the address of the person, associa-
tion, or company therein named, and was duly delivered in this
Colony to such person, association, or company.
6.-(1) Every person who-
(a) forges, or wilfully and without due, authority alters, a
telegram; or
(b) utters a telegram, knowing the same to be forged or wilfully
and without due authority altered; or
(c) transmits by telegraph as a telegram, or utters as a telegram,
any message or communication which he knows to be not a
telegram,
shall, whether lie had or bad not an intent to defraucl, be guilty
of a misdemeanor and be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine
not exceeding 50 dollars, and, on conviction on indictment to
imprisonment for any term not exceeding 12 nionths.
(2) If any person, being in the employment of a telegraph com-
pany as defined by this section, improperly divulges to any person
the purport of any telegram, he shall be guilty of a inisdemeanor and
be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding 100
dollars, and, on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding
1,000 dollars, or to imprisonment for any terin not exceeding 1.2
months.
* As amended by No. 30 of 1911 and No. 1 of 1912.
(3) For the purposes of this section---
(a) the expression ''telegram' means a written or 'printed
message or communication sent to or delivered at a post office, or
the office of a telegraph conipany, for transmission by telegraph, or
delivered by the post office or a telegraph company as a message or
communication transmitted by telegraph ; and
(b) the expression '' telegraph company ' means any company,
corporation, or persons carrying on the business of sending tele-
grams for the public, under whatever authority or in whatever
manner such company, corporation, or persons may act or be
constituted.
Short title. Protection of certain telegrams from publication within certain period. Penalty on person printing, etc., matter contrary to the Ordinance. [cf. No. 3 of 1890, s. 57.] Heading of protected telegram, etc. Evidence. Forgery and improper disclosure of telegrams. [47 & 48 Vict.c. 76 s. 11.] Interpretation.
Abstract
Short title. Protection of certain telegrams from publication within certain period. Penalty on person printing, etc., matter contrary to the Ordinance. [cf. No. 3 of 1890, s. 57.] Heading of protected telegram, etc. Evidence. Forgery and improper disclosure of telegrams. [47 & 48 Vict.c. 76 s. 11.] Interpretation.
Identifier
https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/871
Edition
1912
Volume
v1
Subsequent Cap No.
106
Cap / Ordinance No.
No. 3 of 1894
Number of Pages
3
Files
Collection
Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online
Citation
“TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGES ORDINANCE, 1894,” Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online, accessed October 22, 2024, https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/871.