Enclosure 3
281
B. Confidential
Amended draft ordinance laid
At Hongkong Commission meeting 0 86
A BILL
ENTITLED
An Ordinance for the better regulating of the trade in Opium.
WHEREAS it is expedient to regulate and control
the movement of Raw Opium within the Colony and the waters thereof: Be it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:-
1. This Ordinance and the Opium Ordinance of 1881 hereinafter called the principal Ordinance shall be construed together as one Ordinance to be called The Opium Ordinances 1884 and 1886.
2. Opium in this Ordinance means raw, crude, or unprepared Opium.
Chest of Opium means the package with the opium therein such as is usually imported by merchants in the Colony.
Construction.
Interpretation.
Ship in this Ordinance and in the principal Ordinance shall be construed so as to include any steam vessel, junk, boat, sampan, or any kind of craft used for conveyance of persons or things by water.
3. No person shall bring into the Colony or the waters thereof or receive therein Opium except in whole chests and no person shall be permitted to sell or barter, within the Colony or its waters Opium except in whole chests.
4. No person except the Opium Farmer shall have in his possession or under his custody or control Opium in quantities less than one chest.
5. It shall be the duty of the Opium Farmer to keep a Register of the Opium supplied to him and give such details as to its disposal as the Governor may require.
6. Any person offending against the provisions of Sections 3 and 4, shall, on conviction before a Magistrate, be liable to a fine not exceeding $1,000 and the forfeiture of the Opium or in default imprisonment with or without hard labour for a period not exceeding 3 months or the Magistrate may order a period of imprisonment with or without hard labour in lieu of a portion of the fine, provided the whole imprisonment does not exceed 6 months.
7. Every person importing into the Colony any Opium shall forthwith report the same to the Harbour Master giving the number of chests and shall before landing such Opium or any part thereof send or cause to be sent to the Harbour Master a requisition in the form of Schedule A giving the particulars therein required, whereupon the Harbour Master shall furnish a permit in the form of Schedule B authorising the Opium to be landed and stored, and such permit shall be exhibited at the Opium Farmer's Office and shall be signed by the Farmer or his Agent, and shall not be used or acted upon until it is so signed.
8. Every person moving Opium for exportation shall, before doing so, send to the Harbour Master a requisition in form of Schedule C furnishing the particulars therein required whereupon the Harbour Master shall grant an export permit in the form of Schedule D authorising the said Opium to be exported, and such permit shall be exhibited at the Opium Farmer's Office, and shall not be used or acted upon until it is so signed.
Import of Opium
Prohibition of small quantities.
Register of Particulars
Penalties
Import and removal for export
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