Power to
seize and sell rice.
8
hibition of the exportation of rice are hereby made and declared to be lawful and are confirmed as on and from the time of the performance of such acts and the said Officer Administering the Government and every such Officer or person as aforesaid are hereby freed acquitted discharged and indemnified, as well against the King's Most Gracious Majesty his heirs and successors as against all and every person and persons whatever, from all legal proceedings of any kind whatever, whether civil or criminal, in respect of any such acts as aforesaid.
3.-(1.) The Governor may, at any time when he Governor to thinks fit, and in time of peace as well as in time of war, order the seizure and taking possession of auy rice within the limits of the Colony, and may sell such rice for con- sumption in the Colony.
Payment of
compensa. tion.
Board to fix compensa- tion.
No addition
(2.) The Governor shall, out of the public funds of the Colony, pay to every person whose rice shall be taken, by virtue of sub-section (1) of this section, such compen- sation as shall be agreed on between the Governor and such person, and, in default of agreement, such compensa- tion as shall be awarded by a Board constituted as herein- after mentioned, whose award shall be final.
(3.) For the purpose of determining the amount of com. pensation payable for any rice taken under sub-section (1) of this section the Governor shall appoint a Board consist- ing of five persons, of whom one shall be a Judge or Stipendiary Magistrate, two shall be officers either in the Civil Government of the Colony or in His Majesty's naval or military service, and the other two shall be inhabitants of the Colony. All questions referred to the said Board shall, in case of a difference of opinion, be decided by the votes of the majority of the members. The Judge or Stipendiary Magistrate shall be the Chairman of the Board.
(4.) The said Board, in fixing the price to be paid for for compul- rice taken under sub-section (1) of this section, shall not make any addition on account of the purchase being com- pulsory.
sory pur-
chase.
Prohibition
of non-com- pliance with
order.
The effect of a direction or order on prior con- tracts.
Prohibition
(5.) Every person who refuses or neglects to obey or comply with any order made under this section or does anything whereby the execution of any such order is prevented or hindered, or with intent to prevent or hinder the execution of any such order, shall be guilty of an offence against this Ordinance.
4. If any person by having obeyed any direction made under section 2 or by obeying any order made under sub- section (1) of section 3, has been or shall be prevented from fulfilling any contract, such person shall not be deemed to have thereby committed a breach of contract, but such contract shall be deemed to have been or to be cancelled so far as its fulfilment has been or may be prevented by any such direction or order.
5. The total proceeds of all sales of rice for consumption of profit by in the Colony shall not recoup to the Government more Government than the total cost of purchasing the same together with on total pro- the expenses incidental to such purchase and sale.
ceeds of sales of rice.
Prohibition against export of rice from Northern District.
Power to
Governor to fix retail price of rice and prohibi. tion of sale except at such price.
6. No person shall take or cause or permit to be taken out of the Northern District of the New Territories any rice hulled or unhulled or in any form whatsoever without the permission in writing of the District Officer.
7. The Governor may from time to time and so often as occasion may require by Proclamation prescribe
(a) the price for which rice or any particular standard Government quality, as defined by section 8,
(b) the maximum price for which any particular quality of rice, other than a standard Govern- ment quality,
may be sold by retail in any particular district of the Colony, and any person who in breach of any such Proclamation shall sell any such standard Government