THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, NOVEMBER 17, 1916.
(3) This Act may be cited as the British Ships (Transfer Restriction) Act, 1916, and shall be read as one with the principal Act, and the principal Act and this Act may be cited together as the British Ships (Transfer Restriction) Acts, 1915 and 1916.
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NOTE: The principal Act was published in the Hongkong Government Gazette of the 14th May, 1915.
COLONIAL SECRETARY'S DEPARTMENT.
No. 500.-The following notification which appeared in No. 29764 of the London Gazette on the 26th September, 1916, is published for general information. The rules under which the system of Certificates of Interest and Certificates of Origin and Interest will be enforced in Hongkong were published in the Hongkong Gazettes of the 20th and 27th October, 1916.
FOREIGN OFFICE,
Foreign Trade Department,
September 25, 1916.
The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs desires to bring to the notice of all con- cerned that with a view to preventing breaches of the Trading with the Enemy Acts and Proclamations, particularly the Trading with the Enemy (Extension of Powers) Act, 1915, all goods exported from the countries marked “A "below on and after October 1st next to the United Kingdom, Australia, Newfoundland, New Zealand, Union of South Africa, all Colonies not possessing responsible Governments and Protectorates, as well as India, must be accompanied by Certificates of Interest. These certificates will be issued by His Majesty's Consular Officers, who will require documentary evidence that no enemy or person with whom trade is for the time being prohibited (e.g., persons on the Statutory List) has any interest in the goods.
"A."-Abyssinia, Argentina, Azores, Bolivia, Brazil, Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Danish West Indies, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Liberia, Madeira, Mexico, Morocco, Muscat, Netherland East and West Indies, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Persia, Peru, Philippine Islands, Portu- guese East and West Africa, San Salvador, Spain, Spanish West Africa, Uruguay and Venezuela.
In the case of exports from the countries marked "B" below where Certificates of Origin have hitherto been required, Certificates of Origin and Interest will be required for goods exported on and after October 1st on the same conditions, except that the additional evidence required for a Certificate of Interest will have to be produced to the Consular Officer to whom application is made for the issue of the combined certificate.
"B."--Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland and Switzerland.
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All goods exported on and after October 10th from the five countries marked “B” above to Canada must be accompanied by a Certificate of Origin and Interest.
In other cases Certificates are not compulsory, but many traders, and particularly British shipowners and masters, will no doubt require, for their own protection against possible breaches of the Trading with the Enemy Acts, to be furnished with Certificates for goods consigned to any destination whatsoever. His Majesty's Consular Officers have accordingly been instructed to furnish certificates in such circumstances on applica-
tion.
The period of validity shown on Certificates of Interest and Certificates of Origin and Interest will in no case exceed two months. It is required that shipment shall have been effected from the country of origin. within the period of validity stated on the certificate, and it is not necessary that the goods shall have arrived at their ultimate destination within that period. The onus of proving that the goods were shipped within the period required will, if necessary, rest in cases of doubt with the importer of the goods.
Foreign Trade Department,
Lancaster House, St. James's, S.W.,
September 25th, 1916.