548
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
No. S. 400.-The following Bills were read a first time at a Meeting of the Council held on the 18th December, 1913 :-
Short title.
Date of com- ing into operation.
Repeals.
Interpreta. tion of terms.
Chest of Opium.
Colony.
Diyan Keeper.
Dross Opium.
Export..
Farmer.
General Warehouse.
Halan.
Implement.
Importer.
Licensed Warehouse.
A BILL
ENTITLED
An Ordinance to amend and consolidate the Laws
relating to Opium.
BE it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:-
PRELIMINARY.
1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Opium Ordi-
nance, 1914.
2. This Ordinance shall come into operation on the 1st day of March, 1914.
3. The Opium Ordinance, 1909, and the Opium Amendment Ordinance, 1913, are hereby repealed as from the 1st day of, March, 1914.
4. In this Ordinance,—
"Chest of Opium" means a package with the raw opium contained in it of the size and character generally used by merchants for the importation of raw opium:
"The Colony" includes the waters of the Colony:
"Divan Keeper" means and includes the occupier or person having the use temporarily of any opium divan, or any person having or appearing to have the care or management of such place and also any person who acts in any manner assisting in conducting the business of any such place or keeping watch in or about the same :
"Dross Opium" means a preparation of opium in which opium dross is an ingredient:
"To export" means and includes to convey out of the Colony and to do any act preparatory to or for the purpose of causing conveyance' out of the Colony.
"Farmer" means the person in whom were invested upon the coming into operation of this Ordinance the exclusive privilege of preparing and selling prepared opium ·· and of collecting and purchasing opium dross and of preparing and dealing in dross opium in the Colony :
"General Warehouse" means a warehouse or place of security appointed by the Governor-in-Council for the warehousing of raw opium:
"Halan" means the residuum produced by smoking dross opium:
"Implement" means any vessel, utensil, instrument, or other thing which has been used, or which is probably intended to be used, for containing opium, or for preparing or aiding in preparing any opium, or for smoking opium :
Importer" means and includes any person who brings or causes to be brought by land or sea any opium into the Colony, and the owner, part owner, mortgagee, and pledgec of any opium brought by land or sea into the Colony by such person, and any agent who has authority to transfer ownership or possession or holds documents of title to such opium; but does not include any shipowner or other com- mon carrier who carries opium in the ordinary course of business for the importer thereof:
"Licensed Warehouse" means a place licensed by the Superintendent with the approval of the Governor for the warehousing of raw opium: