Judicature as may hereafter be established in Hongkong, and the officer in charge of each original, shall allow any person to inspect that original, on payment of a fee of one dollar, and shall give to any person applying a copy of the said declaration; on payment of a fee of two dollars.
Copy of Declaration to be evidence.
4. And be it enacted, that in any legal proceeding whatever, as well Civil as Criminal, the production of a copy of such a declaration as is aforesaid, attested by the seal of such Magistrate or Court, as are empowered by this Ordinance to have the custody of such declarations, shall be held (unless the contrary be proved) to be sufficient evidence, as against the person whose name shall be subscribed to such declaration, that the said person was Printer or Publisher or Printer and Publisher (according as the words of the said declaration may be) of every portion of every periodical work whereof the title shall correspond with the title of the periodical work mentioned in the said declaration.
Person ceasing to be Printer or Publisher to make declaration thereof.
Copy of such declaration to be admitted as evidence.
5. Provided always, that any person who may have subscribed any such declaration as is aforesaid, and who may subsequently cease to be the Printer or Publisher of the Periodical work mentioned in such declaration, may appear before such Chief Magistrate as aforesaid, and make and subscribe in duplicate the following declaration.
"I. A. B. declare that I have ceased to be the Printer (or Publisher, or "Printer and Publisher) of the Periodical work entitled
" and each original of the latter declaration shall be authenticated by the signature and seal of the said Chief Magistrate, and one original of the said latter declaration shall be filed along with each original of the former declaration, and the officer in charge of each original of the latter declaration shall allow any person applying to inspect that original, on payment of a fee of one dollar, and shall give to any person applying a copy of the said latter declaration, attested by the seal of the Magistrate or Court having custody of the original, on payment of a fee of two dollars.
6. And be it enacted, that in all trials in which a copy attested as is aforesaid of the former declaration shall have been put in evidence, it shall be lawful to put in evidence a copy attested as is aforesaid of the latter declaration, and the former declaration shall not be taken to be evidence, that the declarant was, at any period subsequent to the date of the latter declaration, Printer or Publisher of the Periodical work therein mentioned.
7. And be it enacted that every book or paper, printed after the passing and publishing of this Ordinance, within the Colony of Hongkong, shall have printed on it at the end thereof the name of the Printer and of the Publisher, and the place of printing and of publication, and whoever shall print or publish any book or paper, otherwise than in conformity with this Rule, shall on Conviction be punished by fine, to an amount not exceeding three thousand dollars, and by imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.
8. And be it enacted, that after the first day of April now next ensuing no person shall within the Colony of Hongkong keep in his possession any press for the printing of books or papers, who shall not have made and subscribed the following declaration before the Chief Magistrate of Police at Hongkong; and whoever shall keep in his possession any such press, without making such a declaration, shall on conviction be punished by fine, to an amount not exceeding three thousand dollars, and by imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.
"I. A. B. declare that I have a press for printing at
" and this last blank shall be filled up with a true and precise description of the premises where such press may be.
9. And be it enacted, that any person who shall, in making any declaration under the authority of this Ordinance, knowingly affirm an untruth shall on conviction thereof be punished by fine, to an amount not exceeding three thousand dollars, and imprisoned for a term not exceeding two years.
Passed the Legislative Council, the 28th day of February, 1844.
RICHARD BURGASS,
Clerk of the Legislative Council.
HENRY POTTINGER,
Governor, &c. &c. &c.
HONGKONG, Published by Authority:
Printed by John Cairng.
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