CHEUNG MEI YIN v. POSTMASTER GENERAL HCAL 66/2007

S’s words:-
When we read from newspapers that a person intends to apply for judicial review in relation to the use of postage stamps bearing the Queen’s portrait. What was our first response? If I were the Applicant and those stamps are/were still in good condition, I would try to sell them in yahoo.com.hk or ebay ...

---

Date of Judgment : 5 July 2007

"This is a hopelessly late application for leave to apply for judicial review.

Regulation 28 of the Post Office Regulations (Cap 98A) provides that the issue of postage stamps for use under the Post Office Ordinance (Cap 98) and the withdrawal of postage stamps from such use shall be under the control and management of the Postmaster General. In anticipation of the Mainland Government’s resumption of exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong on 1 July 1997, the Postmaster General announced on 23 May 1996 that postage stamps bearing the Queen’s portrait or the Royal Cypher would no longer be valid for postage as from 1 July 1997. There was a press conference held on the same day and the announcement was widely reported in the local media. On 6 June 1997, the Government Gazette published a notification of the Postmaster General’s withdrawal of the affected postage stamps from use after 30 June 1997 (GN 2757). The notification stated that the postage stamps affected might be exchanged for current definitive stamps of an equivalent value at the Post Office from 3 to 31 July 1997, both days inclusive."