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replied by forwarding a copy of the European Vagrancy Act of 1894.
No reply has been received from the British Consul at San Francisco. The draft bill hereto annexed has been drawn up on the lines of the India Act. Of the necessity of such a measure, there can be no doubt.
On this point, I believe no report is required from me, but I may mention that large ships coming here with coal or kerosine oil invariably pay off at once, if there is no prospect of freight or charter, and lie in the harbour for several months. Again, persons who have failed to find employment in any Chinese port or post, or even at Manila, constantly come next to Hongkong, either by design or by charitable persons, so that Hongkong may be said to be the Poor House of other neighbouring ports. The object, therefore, of this Ordinance is: -
1. To deal with the vagrants in the Colony.
2. To prevent the landing in this Colony of persons destitute or likely to become a burden.
3. To prevent the indiscriminate discharge of seamen by making the owner or agent liable for their removal from the Colony.
4. To keep down as far as possible the number of destitutes by rendering the master of the vessel from which the destitute has been landed, or the person or company to whom the destitute had come to Hongkong, liable for all the costs of his removal from the Colony.
Secs. 2 to 20 deal with vagrants in the Colony.
Sec. 2 defines the word "vagrant" to mean any person, other than a Chinese, found asking for alms, or without any employment or means of subsistence. Any Police Officer may require...