Chinese have as yet been registered, but this has been owing to doubtful points as to who the proper party should be legally accounted the House-owners, and as to the Semantics relating to until compelled by Law:
I here express my opinion as to the great benefits which will undoubtedly be gained by the new Ordinances. The Registration Ordinance I take to be a mere commencement of a system of Registration which will comprise every native in Victoria, and this by simply compelling the House-owner in each house to keep a list of those resident on his premises, which list could be extracted from time to time as changes took place.
Housing has been for some time past unwittingly the abettor of perjury, for had not there been a mart here for pirated goods, and great opportunities for fitting out vessels for piracy on the high seas as well as for legitimate trade, there can be little doubt that the neighbouring waters would not have been numerous and infested with piratical vessels.
The Registrations must of necessity give the Police a greater hold on the suspected localities and enable them to find out those who are culpable, and are the Proprietors, of the marine-stores and other receptacles for stolen property; by light hand and close supervision over these will very properly be kept in check so as to materially stop a trade so detrimental to the interests of housing.
The Junk Ordinance causing every craft frequenting this Port to take out Papers, and bringing them under the eye of the staff of the Harbor Master's Office, which will be ever ready to make strict search in suspicious cases, not only on the vessel herself, but also as to her connection with any of the residents of housing, cannot but render it dangerous for a piratical junk to come into the tract.
Still, I do not think that any immediate advantage, to any great extent, will be gained until after the lapse of some few months, when everything...
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