A question of some degree of importance was raised at the Magistracy this morning. Two shopkeepers from Wing On Street were charged by Detective-Sergeant M'Iver, before Mr H. E. Wodehouse, with acting as marine dealers without having the requisite license. The accused were defended by Mr H. L. Dennys. The prosecution was brought under Ordinance 9 of 1875, Section 3, and Mr Dennys contended that the literal wording of the Ordinance could not be followed, but that regard must be had to the Schedule, which showed that the Ordinance was not intended to apply to every person who bought and sold anchors, cables, sails, etc. He maintained that the provisions of the Ordinance were meant to affect only those dealers who bought these articles on their own premises from anybody who offered them, as the book the shopkeepers were required to keep necessitated an entry of the name of the seller of the articles. His clients did not buy goods in that way. They had been carrying on this business over ten years without being disturbed by the police. The authorities might as well require Messrs Lane, Crawford and Co. and every shipchandler in the Colony to take out licenses to carry on business, and if a literal definition were taken of the Ordinance, there were only five licensed marine store dealers in Hong Kong. In each case, Mr Wodehouse imposed a fine of $50.
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