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HONGKONG.
No. 6 of 1917.
1 assent to this Ordinance.
F. H. MAY,
LS
Governor.
16th March, 1917.
An Ordinance to make further provision for the protection of trees on Crown land and other Crown property from wilful damage.
[16th March, 1917.]
Be it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:-
1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Crown Land Short title, Preservation Ordinauce, 1917.
2. If at any time it shall be shown to the satisfaction of Power to the Governor that trees or growing plants on Crown land order on- have been felled, cnt, burned, or otherwise damaged or quirs. destroyed, or that any wilful or wauton damage lins been done on Crown land, and that there is reason to believo that such datrage or destruction was committed by any of the inhabitants of any village or arva, it shall be lawful for the Governor to order that a court of inquiry shall be bold at or near the vaid village or in or near the said area,
3. In the case of villages or areas in the New Terri Composition torics the court of euquiry shall consist of the District of court of Officer or Assistant District Officor and the Superintendent enquiry. of the Botanical and Forestry Department, and in all other cases it shall cousist of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs
or any Assistant to the Secretary for Chinese Affairs and the Superintendent of the Botanical and Forestry Depart
ment.
4. The said court shall hold the enquiry in public and Proceedings shall afford to all persons who may be ulversely affected of court of full opportunity of being beard in their defence.
enquiry,
5. For the purposes of any such enquiry the said court Powers of shall have all the powers and privileges which under the court of Commissioners Powers Ordinance, 1886, are or may be enquiry.
Ordinance conferred ou commissionors appointed thereunder.
No 18 of 1886.
6. On the complation of the enquiry the court shall Report to report to the Governor as to whether in their opinion the maile tu damage or destruction was caused by the inhabitants of Governor. any village or area.
7. It shall be lawful for the Governor is Council upon Power of consideration of such report to order that a fuo shall ho Governor in impused on the said village or on such area as he shall Council to
impose the. prescribe.
Ane.
8.(1) Every suck fine shall be apportioned by the Incidence Colonia Treasurer among all the owners of land in the and method said village or aron prescribed, in the manner specified in of levying sub-section (2) of this section, according to the amount of Crown rent or village rent payablo by such owners respectively.
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