Page:Societies Ordinance, 1949 (Cap. 151).pdf/6

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or branch is established in the Colony or not, shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.

16. (1) The Governor in Council may, in his discretion, order that any exempted society or registered society be dissolved where he is satisfied that any such society is being used for purposes prejudicial to or incompatible with peace, welfare or good order in the Colony.

(2) Notification of every such order shall be published in the Gazette, and shall be affixed in a conspicuous manner on any building occupied by such society and at the nearest police station of the police district in which such building exists.

(3) Every society against which an order of dissolution is made shall thence forward be deemed to be an unlawful society and the registration thereof, if it is a registered society, shall be cancelled.

17. The Registrar or an Assistant Registrar may at any time enter into any place which he has reason to believe is kept or used by any registered society or any of its members as a place of meeting or place of business.

18. The Registrar or an Assistant Registrar who has reason to believe that any registered society or any exempted society is being used for purposes prejudicial to public peace or welfare or to good order in the Colony, may enter with or without assistance and using force for that purpose, if necessary, into any place which he has reason to believe is used as the place of meeting or place of business of such society, and may search such place and any person found therein or escaping therefrom for evidence that such society is being used for such purpose as aforesaid.

19. (1) Any police officer of or above the rank of inspector may, with or without assistance, using force, if necessary, enter into any dwelling-house or other building, or into any place in which he has reason to believe that a meeting of any unlawful society, or of persons who are members of an unlawful society, is being held, or that any books, accounts, writings, lists of members, banners, seals, insignia, arms or other articles belonging to any unlawful society are concealed, kept or deposited, and to arrest or cause to be arrested all persons found in such house and to search such house, building or place, and seize or cause to be seized all books, accounts, writings, banners, lists of members, seals, insignia, arms and other articles which he has reasonable cause to believe to belong to any unlawful society or to be in any way connected therewith.

(2) All persons so arrested and all articles so seized may be detained in custody and brought before a Magistrate to be dealt with according to law.