THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 12TH FEB"UARY, 1898.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.-No. 67.
149
With reference to Covernment Notification No. 57 of the 5th instant, the following Regulations are published for informat.on.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 15th February, 1898.
Immigration Restriction Act, 1897.
(61 Vict., No. 13.)
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary.
INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFICERS APPOINTED TO CARRY OUT THE
PROVISIONS OF THE ACT.
1. A copy of the statute is annexed to these instructions, and officers are required to make them- selves acquainted with its provisions.
2. Officers are empowered to board vessels in the waters of the Colony, by virtue of Section 40 of the Police Act, 182, which is as follows:-
40. Any inspector, sub-inspector, or any non-commissioned officer of the police force or senior constable in charge of a police station shall, by virtue of his office, be an Officer of Customs within the meaning of the law relating to the Customs for the time being, and shall have power, by virtue of his office, to enter at all times, with such constables as he shall think necessary, as well by night as by day, into or upon every ship, boat, or other vessel (not being then actually employed in Her Majesty's service, and not being a vessel of war the commanding officer whereof shall hold a commission from any foreign Govern- ment or Power) lying or being in any of the waters of the said Colony, or any dock thereto adjacent, and into every part of such vessel, for the purpose of searching and inspecting the same, and or inspecting and observing the conduct of all persons who shall be employed on board any such ship or vessel in or about the lading or unlading thereof, as the case may be, and for the purpose of taking all such measures as may be necessary for providing against fire and other accidents, and for preserving peace and good order on board of any such ship or vessel, and for the effectual prevention or detection of any felonies or misde-
meanours.
3. Officers stationed at the ports of the Colony must board and carefully watch all vessels arriving at the port, with the view to the powers conferred by the Act being put into operation.
4. Officers will be expected to exercise their powers with discretion, and not to interfere with any person without reasonable ground for believing that such person comes within one of the classes of prohibited immigrants specified in Section 3.
5. Section 3, Sub-section (a), is to be put into operation mainly to the exclusion of Asiatics and Africans. Officers will be justified in requiring any Asiatic or African seeking to enter the Colony, or who may have made his way into, or, having arrived after the passing of the Act, may be found in the Colony, to comply with Sub-section (a).
6. If an officer has reason to believe that any prohibited immigrant is on board any vessel, he shall draw the attention of the master or other person in charge of the vessel to the fact, and to the consequences to the master and owners of the vessel upon any prohibited immigrant landing. (See Section 8.)
7. Any person who shall fail to comply with Section 3 (a), or who shall appear to the officer to be a pauper or likely to become a public charge, must be prevented from landing from any vessel, or otherwise entering the Colony, unless he shall comply with Section 5 by depositing with the officer the sum of £100.
8. Any person coming within Sub-sections (c), (d), (e), and (f) of Section 3, must be prevented from landing or entering the Colony absolutely. In case any prohibited immigrant shall escape the vigilance of officers, Section 4 must be put in operation against the immigrant, and Section 8 against the vessel, its master and owners, in the case of arrival by sea.
9. In case there shall be occasion to put Section 8 into force, officers will seek the assistance of an officer of customs with the view to the vessel being refused a clearance.
10. Officers inust observe Sections 7 and 13 in connection with the exercise of powers under Section 3.
Dated at Perth the 10th day of January, 1898.
JOHN FORREST,
Colonial Secretary.