158
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
Draft Bill.
No. S. 66.-The following bill, which was read a first time at the meeting of Legislative Council held on the 27th October, 1927, and which was read a second time on the 15th March, 1928, is published again as amended in committee. The substantial alterations are as follows:-
(a) The bill now provides for two classes of watchman, police watchmen and private watchmen. Private watchinen will not be subject to police discipline. This point is further elaborated in the new draft of the proposed regulations which is published at the same time as this bill.
(b) The clause in the bill which prohibits watchmen from acting as money-lenders is not to apply to any private watchman who (a) was on the 1st January, 1928, registered as a money-lender, and who (b) satisfies the Captain Superintendent of Police within one month after the commencement of the Ordinance, or within such extended period as the Captain Superintendent of Police may allow in any case for any special reason, that he was actually and bona fide employed as and performing the duties of a watchman at the commencement of the Ordinance.
A BILL
INTITULED ·
Short title.
Interpreta- tion.
An Ordinance to provide for the registration
and regulation of watchmen.
Be it enacted by the Governor of Hong Kong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:—
1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Watchmen Ordinance, 1928.
2.-(1) In this Ordinance,
"
(a) "Casual watchman means a watchman en-
gaged at a daily rate.
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(b) Employer" means a person who employs a
watchman.
(c
"Police watchman" means a watchman regis- tered in the Watchmen's Register as a police watchman.
(d) "Private watchman" means a watchman regis- tered in the Watchmen's Register as a private watchman.
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(e) Ship's guard means a person employed on any vessel as a watchman, other than a casual watchman.
(1)
"Watchman" includes every person who is employed ashore or afloat to protect any pro- perty or to prevent crime or to maintain order in any place, and also every person who is employed as a head watchman to supervise other watchmen.
(g) "Watchmen's Register" means the register of watchmen kept by the Captain Superinten- dent of Police.
(2) Any power or discretion conferred by or under this Ordinance upon the Captain Superintendent of Police may be exercised by any Deputy Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent of Police.