Vagrancy.
CHAPTER 229.
VAGRANCY.
[CAP. 229
To amend the law relating to vagrants, destitutes and mendicants.
[22nd November, 1897.]
25 of 1897. Fraser
9 of 1897.
41 of 1939. 22 of 1950.
1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Vagrancy Ordinance.
Short title.
2. In this Ordinance-
Interpretation.
"agent" of a vessel includes any person who undertakes the agency of such vessel, although he may not be the consignee thereof;
"destitute" means any person who is, or is likely to be, a charge upon public funds or private charity by reason of mental or bodily ill-health or insufficiency of means to support himself and his dependants (if any);
"mendicant" means any person wandering abroad, or placing himself or herself in any public place, street, highway, court, passage or waterway to beg or gather alms, or causing or procuring or encouraging any child or children so to do; and "mendicancy" shall be interpreted accordingly;
"vagrant" means any person, other than a Chinese, found asking for alms or being without either employment or visible means of subsistence or being a prostitute, provided however that no action shall be taken under the provisions of this Ordinance against any prostitute save under the authority of the Governor in Council.
3. (1) The Governor may provide houses of detention for vagrants and may appoint superintendents thereof and other officers and may remove them at pleasure.
(2) The Governor may by notification certify any building or part of a building to be a house of detention.
(3) Every house of detention shall be under the immediate charge of the superintendent thereof.
Earofeas
Houses of and officers
detention,
thereof.
vagrant
4. Any police officer may require any person who is apparently a vagrant to accompany him or any other police officer to, and to appear before, a magistrate.
[5
magistrate.
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