### Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance 《釋義及通則條例》

66. Saving of rights of State
(1) No Ordinance (whether enacted before, on or after 1 July 1997) shall in any manner whatsoever affect the right of or be binding on the State unless it is therein expressly provided or unless it appears by necessary implication that the State is bound thereby.
(2) The repeal and substitution of the former section 66 of this Ordinance effected by section 24 of the Adaptation of Laws (Interpretative Provisions) Ordinance (26 of 1998) do not prejudice the operation of section 2A(2)(c), whether before, on or after that repeal and substitution.
(Replaced 26 of 1998 s. 24)

67. Hong Kong Time
(1) Whenever any expression of time occurs in any Ordinance the time referred to is Hong Kong Time.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), Hong Kong Time (香港時間) means the time used for general purposes throughout Hong Kong namely, 8 hours, or such other period as may be determined by the Legislative Council by resolution under this subsection or under section 16 of the Oil (Conservation and Control) Ordinance (Cap. 264), in advance of Universal Standard Time. (Amended 27 of 1979 s. 17)
(3) A resolution of the Legislative Council under subsection (2) may determine Hong Kong Time for the whole or part of a year.
(4) Nothing in this section shall affect the use of Universal Standard Time for the purposes of astronomy, meteorology, navigation or aviation, or affect the construction of any document mentioning or referring to a point of time in connection with any of these purposes. 
(Replaced 17 of 1977 s. 3. Amended 26 of 1998 s. 25)

69. References to “a.m.” and “p.m.”
The expression a.m. indicates the period between midnight and the following noon, and the expression p.m. indicates the time between noon and the following midnight. Where 2 such expressions occur conjunctively in relation to any specified hour or in conjunction with the word “sunset” or “sunrise”, they shall be construed as relating to a consecutive period of time.

70. Provision where no time prescribed
Where no time is prescribed or allowed within which any thing shall be done, such thing shall be done without unreasonable delay, and as often as due occasion arises.

### Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance 《釋義及通則條例》

72. Power to extend time
Where in any Ordinance a time is prescribed for doing any act or taking any proceeding and power is given to a court, public body, public officer or other authority to extend such time, then the power may be exercised by the court, public body, public officer or other authority although the application for the same is not made until after the expiration of the time prescribed.

73. Distance
In the measurement of any distance for the purposes of any Ordinance, that distance shall be measured in a straight line on a horizontal plane.

74. Warrants, etc. valid on public holiday
Any summons, notice, warrant or other process may be issued, served or executed and any arrest, search or seizure may be carried out or made on any day, whether a public holiday or not, and at any hour of the day or night.

75. Modifications
A national law applying in Hong Kong shall be judicially noticed as such and shall be read with such modifications as to names, localities, courts, officers, persons, moneys, penalties or otherwise as may be necessary to make the same applicable to the circumstances of Hong Kong.
(Amended 26 of 1998 s. 27)

76. Citation of national laws applying in Hong Kong
A national law applying in Hong Kong may be cited by its full name and—
(a) the name of the body which adopted or approved it and the date on which it was adopted or approved;
(b) reference to the Gazette or other instrument in which it is promulgated; or
(c) reference to the order issued by the Central People’s Government which applied it in Hong Kong.
(Replaced 26 of 1998 s. 28)

77. (Repealed 26 of 1998 s. 29)(Adaptation amendments retroactively made - see 26 of 1998 s. 29)

78. Reference to subsidiary legislation under national laws applying in Hong Kong
A reference in any law to any national law applying in Hong Kong shall include a reference to any resolution, rule, regulation, proclamation, order, notice, rule of court, by-law or other instrument made under or by virtue thereof and having legislative effect in Hong Kong.
(Amended 26 of 1998 s. 30)

### Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance 《釋義及通則條例》

80. Copies of national laws applying in Hong Kong
A copy of a national law applying in Hong Kong shall, if it—
(a) is published in the Gazette or purports to be printed by the Government Printer; or
(b) is contained in any printed collection purporting to be published or printed by authority,
be deemed, until the contrary is proved, to be an authentic copy of the national law as at the date of such publication or printing.
(Replaced 2 of 1975 s. 4. Amended 26 of 1998 s. 31)

80A. Application of section 23 to national laws applying in Hong Kong
Where a law causes a national law applying in Hong Kong to cease in whole or in part to be such a national law, then the provisions of section 23 shall apply to and in relation to the national law as it applies to and in relation to an Ordinance repealed in whole or in part save where the contrary intention appears from the first-mentioned law or the national law.
(Added 26 of 1998 s. 32)

81. Interpretation
In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires—
premises (處所) includes any place and in particular, includes—
(a) any vehicle, vessel, aircraft or hovercraft;
(b) any tent or movable structure.

(Added 88 of 1995 s. 2)

82. Meaning of journalistic material
(1) Subject to subsection (2), in this Part journalistic material (新聞材料) means any material acquired or created for the purposes of journalism.
(2) Material is only journalistic material for the purposes of this Part if it is in the possession of a person who acquired or created it for the purposes of journalism.
(3) A person who receives material from someone who intends that the recipient shall use it for the purposes of journalism is to be taken to have acquired it for those purposes.

(Added 88 of 1995 s. 2)

83. Power to enter and search or seize
A provision in any Ordinance which confers on, or authorizes the issue of a warrant conferring on, any person the power to enter any premises and to search the premises or any person found on the premises or to seize any material (whether of a general or particular kind and whether or not the word “material” is used in that provision) shall not, in the absence of an express provision to the contrary, be construed as conferring, or authorizing the issue of a warrant conferring, a power to enter premises where such entry is for the purpose of searching for or seizing material which is known or suspected to be journalistic material.
(Added 88 of 1995 s. 2)