CAP. 242, NEWSPAPERS ACT BELIZE
NEWSPAPERS ACT CHAPTER 242
REVISED EDITION 2000 SHOWING THE LAW AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2000
This is a revised edition of the law, prepared by the Law Revision Commissioner under the authority of the Law Revision Act, Chapter 3 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 1980 - 1990.
This edition contains a consolidation of the following laws- Page
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 3
NEWSPAPERS ACT 5 Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.
BELIZE
NEWSPAPERS ACT CHAPTER 242
REVISED EDITION 2000 SHOWING THE LAW AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2000
This is a revised edition of the law, prepared by the Law Revision Commissioner under the authority of the Law Revision Act, Chapter 3 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 1980 - 1990.
This edition contains a consolidation of the following laws- Page
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 3
NEWSPAPERS ACT 5 Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.
THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,
3
CHAPTER 242
NEWSPAPERS
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
PART I
Preliminary
1. Short title. PART II
Regulating the Printing and Publication of Newspapers
2. Printers to give notice, penalty for neglect.
3. Government Printer excepted.
4. Name and residence to be printed on every paper, etc., penalty.
5. Papers printed by authority excepted.
6. A copy of any paper printed to be kept and indorsed.
7. Engravings and prints of names, etc., excepted.
8. When search warrant may issue.
9. Definition of newspapers.
10. Exception of Government Gazette.
11. The words “supplement to” to be printed on each supplement. Penalty on omission or for publishing supplements without the newspapers.
12. Declaration to be made, etc., before printing or publishing newspapers.
13. Penalty for infringement.
14. Certified copies of declarations.
15. Service of process.
16. Titles of newspapers and names of printers and publishers to be entered in a book open to search.
17. Bond to be given by printer and publisher.
18. Discharge of surety.
19. New bond to be given in certain cases.
20. Penalty for contravening section 17 or 19.
21. Each issue of a paper to be delivered to Permanent Secretary, etc.
22. Particulars to be printed on newspapers and other publications.
23. Prosecutions, time for, limited.
24. Recovery of penalties.
25. Application of penalties.
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26. Only Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute for fine, etc.
27. Application of this Part to companies.
28. Forms. Schedule.
PART III
Reports of Judicial Proceedings
29. Restriction on publication of reports of judicial proceedings.
30. Power to make rules.
SCHEDULE
CHAPTER 242
NEWSPAPERS
[31st March, 1874 -Part I 22nd June, 1935 - Part II]
PART I
Preliminary
1. This Act may be cited as the Newspapers Act.
Ch. 166, R.L. 1958. CAP. 199, R.E. 1980-1990. 40 of 1963. 1 of 1969. 14 of 1982. 22 of 1987. 30 of 1987. Commencement.
Short title.
PART II
Regulating the Printing and Publication of Newspapers
2.-(1) Every person having any printing press or types for printing shall cause a notice thereof, signed in the presence of and attested by one witness, to be delivered to the appropriate officer, designated by the Permanent Secretary, of the district where it is intended to be used.
(2) Every appropriate officer receiving such notice is authorised and required to grant a certificate and to file such notice and transmit an attested copy thereof to the Permanent Secretary.
(3) Every person who, not having delivered such notice and obtained a certificate as mentioned in subsection (2), keeps or uses any printing press or types for printing, or having delivered the notice and obtained such certificate, uses any printing press or types for printing in any other place than the places expressed in the notice, commits of an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars. The printing presses and types for printing so kept or used without notice delivered and certificate obtained, or elsewhere than at the places expressed in the notice and certificate, shall be forfeited to the use of the Government.
(4) In this Act, “Permanent Secretary” means the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry to which the subject of newspapers is, for the time being, assigned under the Constitution, and in the case of the Attorney General’s Ministry, the Solicitor-General.
3. Nothing contained in section 2 shall extend to any Government printing establishment, Government Printer, or any printer authorised to print the Acts, Laws, Acts of State, or other public Acts of the National Assembly or to the printing presses belonging to any such Government printing establishment or Government Printer.
Government Printer excepted.
40 of 1963. 14 of 1982.
30 of 1987.
Printers to give notice, penalty for neglect. 14 of 1982.
CAP. 4.
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4. Any person who-
(a) prints any paper or book whatsoever meant to be published or dispersed, and does not print upon the front of every such paper, if the same is printed on one leaf only, or upon the first or last leaf of every paper or book which consists of more than one leaf, in legible characters, his name and usual place of abode or business;
(b) publishes or disperses, or assists in publishing or dispersing, any printed paper or book on which the name and place of abode of the person printing the same is not printed,
shall, for every copy of such paper printed or published or dispersed by him, be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty dollars.
5. Nothing contained in this Part shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any papers printed by the authority of and for the use of the Government or the National Assembly.
6.-(1) Any person who prints any paper for hire, reward, gain or profit shall carefully preserve and keep one copy at least of every paper printed by him, on which he shall write, or cause to be written or printed, in fair and legible char- acters, the name and place of abode of the person or persons by whom he is employed to print the paper.
(2) Any person who prints any paper for hire, reward, gain or profit and omits or neglects to write, or cause to be written or printed the name and place of abode of the person or persons by whom he is employed to print it on one of such printed papers, or to keep and preserve it for the space of six calendar months next after the printing thereof, or to produce and show the same to any justice of the peace who, within the said space of six calendar months, requires to see it, shall for every such omission, neglect or refusal forfeit and lose the sum of five hundred dollars.
Papers printed by authority excepted.
A copy of any paper printed to be kept and indorsed.
Name and residence to be printed on every paper, etc., penalty.
7. Nothing contained in this Part shall extend to the impression of any engraving, or to the printing of the name, address, business or profession of any person, and the articles in which he deals, or to any papers for the sale of estates or goods by auction or otherwise, or to any bill of lading, policy of insurance, debenture, letter of attorney, deed or agreement, or to any transfer or assignment of the stocks of any public corporation or company authorised or sanctioned by any Act or local law, or to any dividend warrant or coupon of or for any such public or other stocks, funds or securities, or to any receipt for money or goods, or to any proceeding in any court of law or equity, or in any inferior court, or to any warrant or order or other papers printed by the authority of any public board or public officer in the execution of the duties of their respective offices, notwithstanding the whole or any part of the several securities, instruments, proceedings, matters and things mentioned in this section has been or shall be printed.
8.-(1) If any justice of the peace on information upon oath has reason to suspect that any printing press or types for printing is or are used or kept for use, without notice given or certificate obtained as required by this Part or in any place not included in such notice and certificate, he may issue a warrant, direct, authorise and empower any police officer or other peace officer, with such person or persons as are called to his assistance, to enter any house, room or place, and search for any printing press or types for printing.
(2) Every police officer or peace officer may, with such assistance as mentioned in subsection (1), enter into such house, room or place accordingly, and seize, take and carry away, as forfeited, every printing press found therein, together with all the types and other articles belonging thereto and used in printing, and all printed papers found in such house, room or place.
(3) Anything forfeited under this section shall be disposed of in such manner as the Commissioner of Police may direct.
9. Every paper containing any public news, intelligence or occurrences, or any remarks or observations thereon, shall be deemed to be a newspaper
When search warrant may issue.
Definition of newspapers.
Engravings and prints of names, etc., excepted.
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within the meaning of this Part which shall be published periodically, or in parts or numbers at intervals not exceeding twenty-six days between the publication of any two such parts or numbers.
10. The Gazette or any daily accounts of bills of goods imported or exported, or of warrants or certificates for the delivery of goods, or papers containing lists of prices current, or of the state of the markets, or any account of the arriving, sailing or other circumstances relating to merchant ships or vessels, or any other matter wholly of a commercial nature shall not be deemed to be a newspaper within the provisions of this Part, if such bills, lists, or accounts do not contain any other matter than is usually comprised in such bills, lists or accounts.
11.-(1) Every sheet or piece of paper published as a supplement to a newspaper shall be printed with the same title and date as the newspaper to which it purports to be a supplement, with the addition of the words “supplement to” prefixed to such title.
(2) If any sheet or piece of paper is published as a supplement to any newspaper, the supplement not having printed thereon the several particulars required by this Part to be printed thereon, and in the manner and form directed by this Part, the publisher of the newspaper shall, for every such sheet or piece of paper so published as a supplement, and for every copy thereof, be liable to a fine of two hundred and fifty dollars.
(3) Every person who sells, delivers out or in any other manner publishes any sheet or piece of paper, which is or purports to be a supplement to any newspaper, without at the same time selling or otherwise publishing and delivering therewith the newspaper to which the same is or purports to be a supplement, shall for every offence forfeit the sum of five hundred dollars.
12.-(1) No person shall print or publish, or cause to be printed or published, any newspaper before there is delivered to the Permanent Secretary a declaration in writing containing information on the several matters and things herein specified,
Exception of Government Gazette.
The words “supplement to”, to be printed on each supplement.
Penalty on omission or for publishing supplements without the newspapers.
Declaration to be made, etc., before printing or publishing newspapers.
that is to say-
(a) the correct title of the newspaper to which it relates;
(b) the true description of the house or building wherein the newspaper is intended to be printed, and also of the house or building wherein the newspaper is intended to be published by or on behalf of the proprietor thereof;
(c) the true name, addition and place of abode of any person who is intended to be the printer, or to conduct the actual printing of the newspaper, and of every person who is intended to be the publisher thereof, and of every person who is a proprietor of such newspaper resident out of Belize, and also of every person resident in Belize who is a proprietor of the same, if the number of such last-mentioned persons exclusive of the printer and publisher does not exceed two. In case the numbers exceed two, then of such two persons, being the proprietors resident in Belize, the amount of whose respective proportional shares in the property or in the profit or loss of the newspaper is not less than the proportional share of any other proprietor thereof resident in Belize, exclusive of the printer and publisher, and also where the number of the proprietors resident in Belize exceeds two, the amount of the proportional shares or interests of the several proprietors whose names are specified in the declaration.
(2) Every such declaration shall be made, and signed by every person named therein as printer or publisher of the newspaper to which the declaration relates, and by such of the persons named therein as proprietors as are resident within Belize.
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(3) A declaration of the like import shall be made, signed, and delivered in like manner-
(a) whenever and so often as any share, interest, or property in any newspaper named in any declaration is assigned, transferred or changed by act of the parties or by operation of law, so that the respective proportional shares or interests of the persons named in any declaration as proprietors of the newspaper, or either of them, respectively becomes less than the proportional share or interest of any other proprietor thereof, exclusive of the printer and the publisher;
(b) whenever and so often as any printer, publisher or proprietor named in any declaration or the person conducting the actual printing of the newspaper named in any declaration, is changed or changes his place of abode;
(c) whenever and so often as the title of any newspaper, or the printing office, or the place of publication thereof, is changed;
(d) whenever in any case, or on any occasion, or for any pur- pose, the Permanent Secretary require such declaration to be made, signed and delivered, and causes notice in writing for that purpose to be served on any person or to be left at any place mentioned in the last preceding declaration deli- vered, as being a printer, publisher or proprietor of such newspaper, or as being the place of printing or publishing any such newspaper respectively.
(4) Every such declaration shall be made before the Permanent Secretary who is hereby severally and respectively authorised to take and receive such declaration.
40 of 1963.
40 of 1963. 14 of 1982.
(5) Every person who knowingly and wilfully signs any such declaration-
(a) in which is inserted or set forth the name, addition or place of abode of any person as a proprietor, publisher, printer or conductor of any newspaper to which the declaration relates who is not a proprietor, printer or publisher thereof; or
(b) from which is omitted the name, addition or place of abode of any proprietor, publisher, printer or conductor of the actual printing of such newspaper contrary to the true meaning of this Part; or
(c) in which any matter or thing is required by this Part to be set forth, is set forth otherwise than according to the truth; or
(d) from which any matter or thing required by this Part to be truly set forth is entirely omitted,
commits a misdemeanour.
13. Every person who knowingly and wilfully prints or publishes or causes to be printed or published, or either as a proprietor or otherwise sells or delivers out any newspaper relating to which the declaration mentioned in section 12, containing such matters and things as are required by this Part to be contained therein has not been duly signed and made, and delivered when and so often as by this Part is required, or any other matter or thing required by this Part to be done or performed has not been accordingly done and performed, shall forfeit and pay the sum of five hundred dollars for every day on which any such newspaper is printed, published, sold or delivered out before or until such declaration is signed and made, and delivered, or before or until such other matter or thing is done or performed as by this Part directed.
14.-(1) A declaration made under this Part shall be filed and kept by the Permanent Secretary, and copies thereof, certified to be true copies as by this
Penalty for infringement.
Certified copies of declarations. 40 of 1963.
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Part is directed, shall respectively be admitted in all proceedings civil and crimi- nal, and upon every occasion, touching any newspaper mentioned in any such declaration, or touching any publication, matter or thing contained in any such newspaper, as conclusive evidence of the truth of all such matters set forth in declaration as are required to be therein set forth, and of their continuance respectively in the same condition down to the time in question against every person who has signed the declaration, unless it is proved-
(a) that previous to such time such person became a person of unsound mind; or
(b) that previous to the publication in question on such trial such person did duly sign and make a declaration that such person had ceased to be a printer, publisher or proprietor of such newspaper, and did duly deliver the same to the Permanent Secretary; or
(c) that previous to such occasion a new declaration of the same or a similar nature respectively, or such as may be required by law, was duly signed and made and delivered respecting the same newspaper, in which the person sought to be affected on such trial did not join.
(2) The Permanent Secretary shall, upon application in writing made to him by any person requiring a copy certified according to this Part of any such declaration, in order that the declaration may be produced in any criminal or civil proceeding, deliver such certified copy or cause the declaration to be delivered to the person applying for it upon payment of the sum of one dollar.
(3) In all proceedings and on all occasions a copy of any such declaration certified to be a true copy under the hand of the Permanent Secretary, upon proof made that such certificate has been signed by the Permanent Secretary shall be received in evidence against any person named in the declaration as a person making or signing the same, as sufficient proof of making the declaration,
40 of 1963.
and that the same was duly signed and made according to this Part and of the contents thereof.
(4) Every copy produced and certified shall have the same effect for the purposes of evidence against any person named therein, to all intents as if the original declaration, of which the copy produced purports to be a copy, had been produced in evidence, and proved to have been duly signed and made by the person appearing by such copy to have signed and made the declaration.
(5) Whenever a certified copy of any declaration has been produced in evidence as mentioned in subsection (3) against any person having signed and made the declaration, and a newspaper is afterwards produced in evidence intituled in the same manner as the newspaper mentioned in the declaration is intituled, and wherein the name of the printer and publisher and the place of printing is the same as the name of the printer and publisher and place of printing mentioned in the declaration, or purports to be the same, whether such title, name and place printed upon such newspaper is set forth in the same form of words as is contained in the declaration, or in any form of words varying therefrom, it shall not be necessary for the plaintiff, informer or prosecutor in any action, prosecution or other proceeding, to prove that the newspaper to which the action, prosecution or other proceeding relates was purchased from the defendant, or at any house, shop or office belonging to or occupied by the defendant, or by his servants or workmen, or where he usually carries on the business of printing or publishing such newspaper, or where the newspaper is usually sold.
(6) Every person, other than the Permanent Secretary, who gives any certificate purporting to be such certificate, or who presumes to certify any of the matters or things by this Part directed to be certified by the Permanent Secretary, or which the Permanent Secretary is empowered or entrusted to certify shall forfeit the sum of one thousand dollars.
(7) If the Permanent Secretary knowingly and falsely certifies under his hand that any declaration as is required to be made by this Part was duly
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signed and made before him or some district officer, the declaration not having been so signed and made, or knowingly and wilfully falsely certifies that any copy of any declaration is a true copy of the declaration of which the same is certified to be such copy, the same not being a true copy, he shall forfeit the sum of one thousand dollars.
15. In any suit, prosecution or proceeding, civil or criminal, against any printer, publisher or proprietor of any newspaper service at the house or place mentioned in any declaration as aforesaid as the house or place at which the newspaper is printed or published, or intended so to be, of any notice or other matter required or directed by this Part to be given or left, or of any summons, subpoena, rule, order, writ, or process of whatever nature, either to enforce an appearance or for any other purpose, shall be taken to be good and sufficient service thereof respectively upon and against every person named in the declaration as the printer, publisher or proprietor of the newspaper mentioned in the declaration.
16.-(1) The Permanent Secretary shall cause to be entered in a book, to be kept in his office in Belmopan, the title of every newspaper registered in his office, and also the names of the printers and publishers thereof, as the same appear in the declarations required by this Part to be made relating to such newspapers respectively.
(2) All persons shall be free to search and inspect the said book from time to time during the hours of business at the said office without payment of any fee or reward.
17.-(1) No person shall print or publish in Belize any newspaper unless he has previously executed and caused to be recorded in the General Registry a bond with one or more sureties as may be required and approved by the Registrar General in the sum of two thousand dollars in respect of each newspaper printed or published by him conditioned on the payment to the Government by the printer, publisher, or proprietor of the newspaper of all forfeitures, fines, penalties, damages and costs which may be imposed upon or adjudged against the printer,
Service of process.
Title of newspapers and names of printers and publishers to be entered in a book open to search. 40 of 1963.
Bond to be given by printer and publisher.
publisher, and proprietor of any of them, whether in criminal or civil proceed- ings, in respect of any libel of any kind printed or published in such newspaper at any time after the execution of the bond, or on any conviction under the provisions of this Part for anything done or omitted after the execution of the bond.
(2) Without prejudice to any rights of a surety under a bond required by this Part against the person for whom he is surety, a surety shall under the bond executed by him be deemed a principal debtor and not merely a surety, and accordingly shall not be discharged, nor shall his liability be affected by any giving of time for payment or by any omission to enforce the bond or by any other act or omission or means whereby the liability of the surety would not have been discharged if he had been a principal debtor.
18. Any surety shall be entitled to be discharged from his bond at the expiration of twenty days after service of written notice of his desire to be so discharged on the Permanent Secretary and the other persons bound under the bond:
Provided that the discharge of a surety under this section shall not affect the liability of any other surety under the bond or the liability of the surety so discharged for any forfeiture, fine, penalty, damages or costs already imposed or adjudged or which may at any time thereafter be imposed or adjudged in respect of any libel printed or published before the date of such discharge or on any conviction under the provisions of this Part for anything done or omitted before the date of such discharge.
19. Whenever any person bound under a bond required by this Part pays the whole or any part of the sum for which he is bound, or, being a surety-
(a) dies; or
(b) becomes a bankrupt or enters into any arrangement or composition with or for the benefit of his creditors; or
Discharge of surety. 40 of 1963.
New bond to be given in certain cases.
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(c) departs from Belize without leaving sufficient property therein to satisfy the whole amount for which he is bound; or
(d) is discharged from the bond under section 18,
the printer or publisher who executed the bond shall not, except for the period of three weeks from the happening of such event, print or publish any newspaper until he has executed and caused to be recorded a new bond in the amount and in manner and with the sureties as described in section 17.
20. Every person who contravenes any of the provisions of section 17 or 19 commits an offence under this Part and is liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars for each offence.
21.-(1) The printer or publisher of every newspaper shall upon every day on which the same is published, or within six days after, deliver to the Permanent Secretary at his office in Belmopan one of the papers so published upon each such day, signed by the printer or publisher thereof, in his handwriting, with his name and place of abode.
(2) The Permanent Secretary shall carefully keep and preserve every paper so delivered to him.
(3) Every printer or publisher shall be entitled to demand and receive from the Permanent Secretary once in every month the amount of the ordinary price of the newspapers so delivered.
(4) Every printer and publisher of such newspaper who neglects to deliver one such newspaper in the manner directed under subsection (1), shall for every such neglect respectively, forfeit the sum of one thousand dollars.
(5) Where any person makes application to the Permanent Secretary in order that the newspaper signed by the printer or publisher may be produced in evidence in any proceeding, civil or criminal, the Permanent Secretary shall at
Penalty for contravening section 17 or 19.
Each issue of a paper to be delivered to Permanent Secretary, etc. 40 of 1963.
the expense of the party applying at any time within two years from the pub- lication thereof, either cause the newspaper to be produced in the court in which the same is required to be produced, and at the time when the newspaper is required to be produced, or shall deliver the newspaper to the party applying for it, taking, according to his discretion, reasonable security at the applicant’s expense for the returning of the newspaper to the Permanent Secretary.
(6) If, by reason of the fact that any such newspaper has been previously delivered to any other person for the like purpose, it cannot be produced at the time required, or be delivered according to such application, the Permanent Secretary shall cause the newspaper to be produced, or shall deliver it as soon as he is enabled to do so.
22.-(1) There shall be printed at the end of every newspaper and of any and every supplement sheet or piece of paper, the Christian name and surname, addition and place of abode of the printer, publisher and editor of it, and also a true description of the house or building wherein it is actually printed and published respectively, and the day of the week, month and year on which the newspaper is published.
(2) Every person who knowingly and wilfully prints or publishes or causes to be printed or published any newspaper or supplement thereto whereon the several particulars mentioned in subsection (1) are not printed, or whereon any false name, addition, place or day is printed or whereon there is printed any description of the place of printing or publishing such newspaper different in any respect from the description of the house or building mentioned in the declaration required by this Part to be made relating to such newspaper, as the house or building wherein such newspaper is intended to be printed or published, shall for any and every such offence forfeit the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars.
23. No person shall be prosecuted or sued for any penalty imposed by this Part, unless such prosecution is brought within three months next after the penalty has been incurred.
40 of 1963.
Particulars to be printed on newspapers and other publications. 30 of 1987.
Prosecutions, time for, limited.
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24. Any fine imposed by this Part not exceeding five hundred dollars shall be recovered before the summary jurisdiction court of the district in which the fine is incurred, or the person having incurred the fine happens to be.
25. All fines imposed by this Part shall, when recovered upon conviction, be applied and disposed of in the following manner, that is to say, any portion thereof not exceeding one-half to or among the person or persons, other than the Director of Public Prosecutions, by whom it is made to appear to the Governor-General that any offence, on conviction for which a fine is made hereby recoverable, has been brought to the notice of the Government, and the remainder paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
26. It shall not be lawful for any person to commence, prosecute, enter or file, or cause or procure to be commenced, prosecuted, entered or filed, any action, plaint, petition or information in the Supreme Court or before any court of summary jurisdiction against any person for the recovery of any fine, penalty or forfeiture made or incurred under the provisions of this Part unless it is commenced, prosecuted or filed in the name of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
27. In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires, the word “person” includes a company, and any notice of declaration required by this Part to be given or made by any person shall, in the case of a company, be given or made by the secretary.
28. The forms given in the Schedule to this Act shall be used subject to such modification as circumstances may render necessary.
PART III
Reports of Judicial Proceedings
29.-(1) It shall not be lawful to print or publish or cause or procure to be printed or published-
Application of penalties. 1 of 1969.
Only Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute for fine, etc. 1 of 1969.
Application of this Part to companies.
Forms. Schedule.
Restriction on publication of reports of judicial proceedings.
Recovery of penalties.
(a) in relation to any judicial proceedings, any indecent matter or indecent medical, surgical or physiological details being matter or details the publication of which would be calcula- ted to injure public morals;
(b) in relation to any judicial proceedings for dissolution of marriage, for nullity of marriage, or for judicial separation, or for restitution of conjugal rights, any particulars other than-
(i) the names, addresses and occupations of the parties and witnesses;
(ii) a concise statement of the charges, defences and counter-charges in support of which evidence has been given;
(iii) the submission on any point of law arising in the course of the proceedings, and the decision of the court thereon;
(iv) the summing-up of the judge and the finding of the jury, if any, and the judgment of the court and observations made by the judge in giving judgment:
Provided that nothing in this part of this subsection shall be held to permit the publication of anything contrary to the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection.
(2) If any person acts in contravention of the provisions of this Part, he shall in respect of each offence be liable, on summary conviction by a magistrate to imprisonment for a term not exceeding nine months, or to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or to both such imprisonment and fine:
Penalties.
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Provided that no person, other than a proprietor, editor, master printer or publisher, shall be liable to be convicted under this Part.
(3) Nothing in this section shall apply to-
(a) the printing of any pleading, transcript of evidence or other document for use in connection with any judicial proceedings or the communication thereof to persons concerned in the proceedings; or
(b) the printing or publishing of any notice or report in pursuance of the directions of the court; or
(c) the printing or publishing of any matter in any separate volume or part of any bona fide series of law reports which does not form part of any other publication and consists solely of reports of proceedings in courts of law; or
(d) any publication of a technical character bona fide intended for circulation among members of the legal or medical professions.
30. The Chief Justice shall have power to make such rules and regulations concerning the practice and procedure and the fixing or regulating of fees payable in proceedings under this Part as he may from time to time consider expedient and shall have power from time to time to revoke or alter the same.
Exceptions.
Power to make rules.
SCHEDULE
1. Form of Notice to Appropriate Officer required by Section 2
I, A.B., of do hereby declare that I have a printing press and types for printing, which I propose to use for printing at and which I require to be entered for that purpose pursuant to the provisions of the Newspapers Act.
WITNESS my hand this day of SIGNED in the presence of
2. Form of Certificate of the Notice required by Section 2
I, District Officer for the do hereby certify that
of hath delivered to me a notice in writing appearing to be signed by him and attested by as a witness to his signing the same, that he the said
hath a printing press and types for printing, which he proposes to use for printing at within
and which he has required to be entered pursuant to the provisions of the Newspapers Act.
WITNESS my hand this day of
CAP. 242.
CAP. 242.
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3. Form of Declaration required by Section 12
I, John Brown, as to the various matters set forth in the first five columns, and I, John Jones, and I, Henry Davis, as to the various matters set forth in columns 7 and 8, do solemnly and sincerely declare that the respective statements therein made are just and true, and that nothing therein stated is intended otherwise than in fulfilment of the requirements of section 12 of the Newspapers Act.
TAKEN before me this day of John Brown. John Jones. Henry Davis.
4. Form of Bond required by Section 17
KNOW all men by these presents that we [name and address of printer or publisher] and [name and address of sureties] are bound to the Govern- ment of Belize in the sum of [state amount] to be paid to the Government for which payment we bind ourselves and every [“four,” “three,” as the case may be] two and one of us jointly and severally by these presents.
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} CAP. 242.
Form of Bond.
SEALED with our respective seals.
DATED this day of
The condition of the above written bond is such that if the printer, publisher, or proprietor of any newspaper printed or published by the said [name of printer or publisher executing the bond] shall pay to the Government of Belize all forfeitures, fines, penalties, damages and costs which may be imposed upon or adjudged against such printer, publisher and proprietor, or any of them, whether in criminal or civil proceedings, in respect of any libel whatsoever printed or published in such newspaper at any time after the execution of the above written bond or on any conviction under the provisions of the Newspapers Act, for anything done or omitted after the execution of the above written bond then the above written bond shall be void or otherwise shall remain in full force.
SIGNED, sealed and delivered by the above-named in [Seals of obligors] the presence of
}
CAP. 242.
