THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 28TH OCTOBER, 1899.
No. 31 or 1899.
An Ordinance to amend "The Protection of
Women and Girls Ordinance, 1897.”
LS
HENRY A. BLAKE,
Governor.
[26th October, 1899.]
Be it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:--
1. This Ordinance may be cited as "The Protection of Short title. Women and Girls Amendment Ordinance, 1899."
2. The expression "Keeper" as used in this Ordinance Interpreta- shall include any person having or appearing to have the tion. care or management or control of the premises in question;
and the expressions "brothel," and "occupier" shall have
the same meaning as in Ordinance 9 of 1897.
3. The following new section to be numbered 11A shall New section be inserted after section 11 of Ordinance 9 of 1897: -
11A.
a woman.
remain in a brothel.
"11A.-Every person who, being the occupier or Penalty for keeper of any brothel, permits any woman suffer- permitting ing from any contagious disease to be or remain suffering in such brothel for the purpose of prostitution, from shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable contagious on conviction before the Supreme Court or a Magis- disease to trate to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year with or without hard labour or to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars or to both; and if any person, not being a natural born or naturalized British subject, who has been previously convicted of an offence under this section, shall again be found guilty of such an offence the Governor-in-Conneil may issue an Order banishing such person from the Colony under any Bauishment laws which may from time to time be in force in this Colony.
In the case of any prosecution under this section, it shall not be necessary for the prosecution to prove that such occupier or keeper as aforesaid knew that the woman was suffering from a contagious disease, but such knowledge shall be presumed by the Court or Magistrate unless such occupier or keeper satisfies the Court or Magistrate that he had not such kuowledge.”
4. Upon complaint laid before a Magistrate by the Closing of Captain Superintendent of Police or by the Registrar certain lodg-
ing-houses General that any house or portion thereof is used as a and of lodging house for prostitutes or disorderly persons or as a brothels on brothel, it shall be lawful for the Magistrate to issue a sun- the com- mous to the occupier or keeper of the house or portion plaint of the thereof of which complaint is made; and upon the hearing Captain Su-
perintendent of the case if the Magistrate is satisfied that the house or of Police or of some portion thereof is used in the manner complained of the Registrar he may order the occupier or keeper to discontinue such General. use of it; and if such order is not complied with within such time as the Magistrate may by his order direct the Magistrate may impose upon such occupier or keeper a fine not exceeding fifty dollars for every day that the house or any portion thereof shall be so used after the time directed by the Magistrate's Order.
The provisions of the Magistrates Ordinance, 1890, relating to summary procedure shall apply to proceedings under this section.
The provisions of this section shall be in addition to Saving of those contained in section 4 of Ordinance No. 6 of 1894.
powers in Ordinance 6 of 1894.
landlord.
5. After the use of any premises as a lodging house for Liability of prostitutes or disorderly persons, or as a brothel, has been immediate discontinued under the provisions of section 4 of this Or- dinance, the immediate landlord for the time being, or if such landlord is absent from the Colony or under any disability, his attorney or agent, or in the ease of a Corporation or Company which is the immediate landlord, the Secretary or Manager thereof for the time being shall, if such premises are found to be again in use as a lodging house for prostitutes or disorderly persons, or as a brothel,
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