THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 30TH APRIL, 1864.
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CLXXXIV. In the event of the death of any witness deposing to the petitioning On death of witness office deposition or Creditors debt, or act of Bankruptcy, or under any petition for arrangement, the copy thereof to be deposition of any such deceased witness, purporting to be sealed with the seal of the evidence. Court, or a copy thereof purporting to be so sealed, shall in all cases be received as evidence of the matters therein respectively contained.
CLXXXV. All persons competent and compellable to give evidence in any Court of Law in the Colony shall be competent and compellable to give evidence in any matter or proceeding arising under this Ordinance.
Persons competent
to give evidence.
taken of signature of
CLXXXVI. All Courts, Judges, Justices, and persons judicially acting, and Judicial notice to be other officers, shall take judicial notice of the signature of any Judge, Assignee or Judge or other Officer other Officer of the Court, and of the seal of the Court, subscribed or attached to any and seal of Court. judicial or official proceeding or document to be made or signed under the provisions of this Ordinance.
of Judge or other
CLXXXVII. If any person shall forge the signature of any Judge or of the Forging signature Official Assignee, or other officer of the Court, or shall forge or counterfeit the seal of officer or the seal of the Courts, or knowingly concur in using any such forged or counterfeit signature or the Court, &c., felony. seal, for the purpose of authenticating any proceeding or document, or shall tender in evidence any such proceeding or document with a false or counterfeit signature of any such Judge, Official Assignee, or other officer, or a false or counterfeit seal of the Court, subscribed or attached thereto, knowing such signature or seal to be false or counterfeit, every such person shall be guilty of felony, and shall be liable to be in- dicted and on conviction to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for any time not exceeding two years.
solvency.
CLXXXVIII. A copy of any petition filed in any Court having jurisdiction for the Evidence as to In- relief of Insolvent Debtors, or in Bankruptcy, in any of Her Majesty's Dominions, Colonies or dependencies, and of any vesting order, schedule, order of adjudication or other proceedings, purporting to be signed by the officer in whose custody the same shall be or his deputy, certifying the same to be a true copy of such petition, vesting order, schedule, order of adjudication, or other order or proceedings, and appearing to be sealed with the seal of such Court, shall at all times be admitted under this Ordinance as sufficient evidence of the same, and of such proceedings respectively having taken place, without any other proof whatever given of the same.
As to Affidavits, Declarations, and Affirmations.
CLXXXIX. Any Affidavit, Declaration or Affirmation required to be sworn or made in relation to any matter under this Ordinance may be lawfully sworn-
Before the Court or before any Officer appointed by the Court for that purpose, or before a Magistrate:
In any Colony, island, plantation, or place under the dominion of Her Majesty, before any Court, Judge, or person lawfully authorized to take and receive affida- vits, declarations, or affirmations:
In any foreign parts out of Her Majesty's dominions, before a Judge or Magis- trate, his signature being authenticated by the official scal of the Court to which he is attached, or by a public notary, or before a British Minister, Consul or Vice- Consul:
Affidavits, declara- tions, &c.,before whom to be sworn.
seal or signature
And every such Court, Judge, Officer, or other person is hereby authorized and Judicial notice of required to administer the oath upon any such affidavit or to take such affirmation or thereto. declaration; and all Courts, Judges, Justices, Officers and persons acting judicially shall take judicial notice of the seal or signature (as the case may be) of any such Court, Judge, Officer or other person, attached, appended, or subscribed to any such affidavit or declaration, or to any other document to be used for the purposes of this Ordinance.
CXC. Any affidavit of any prisoner in Hongkong, to be used in any matter under this Ordinance may be sworn before the Gaoler of such prison, and every such Gaoler is hereby required and authorized to administer the oath upon any such affidavit without fee or reward.
As to Costs.
CXCI. In all cases where it shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of the Court that there is reason to suspect and believe that any property of any Bankrupt is
Affidavits by pri-
soners,
Court may grant
search warrant.