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(d) by the addition of the following sub-section
at the end thereof :—
(4) No person charged under this sec- tion shall be entitled to be acquitted on the ground that such person brought the woman or girl into the Colony, or on the ground that such person took the woman or girl, or caused her to be taken, out of the posses- sion of the person having the lawful care or charge of her.
5. Section 32 of the Protection of Women and Repeal of Girls Ordinance, 1897, is repealed and the following Ordinance
No. 4 of section is substituted therefor :-
1897,
Guardianship of adopted girl, etc.
Ordinance No. 1 of 1923.
substitution
32.-(1) If any parent or person acting 5. 32, and in the place of a parent has, within or of new without the Colony, voluntarily parted section. with a girl under the age of eighteen years for the purpose of adoption into another family, or received money for parting with the custody of any girl under the age of eighteen years for any purpose, the legal guardianship of such girl white within the Colony shall be vested in the Secretary for Chinese Affairs.
(2) If in any case it appears to the Secretary for Chinese Affairs that any girl under the age of eighteen years has not been properly treated by the person in whose custody she is, and that the girl is unwilling to remain in such custody, it shall be lawful for the Secretary for 'hinese Affairs to call upon such person to produce proof to his satisfaction that such person is the legal guardian, and failing the production of such proof the legal guardianship of such girl while within the Colony shall be vested in the Secretary for Chinese Affairs.
(3) Where the legal guardianship of any girl is vested in the Secretary for Chinese Affairs by virtue of the provisions of this section, it shall be lawful for the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, subject to the provisions of section 10 of the Female Domestic Service Ordinance, 1923, to make any order regarding the custody and control of the girl which he may think desirable in her interests, and if he so think fit, to require any person in whose charge he shall place the girl to enter into
a bond with one or more sureties to treat
the girl well and to produce her before him whenever he shall so require.
6. Section 39 of the Protection of Women and Repeal of
Ordinance Girls Ordinance, 1897, is repeated and the following No. 4 of section is substituted therefor :-
1897, s. 39, and substitu-
Power of search, etc.
39.-(1) The Secretary for Chinese tion of new Affairs, or any officer generally or specially section. authorised for that purpose in writing by the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, may enter, and for that purpose may use force if necessary, and may search, any vessel, house, building, or other place for the purpose of ascertaining whether there is therein any woman or girl who is or may be liable to be dealt with under the pro- visions of this Ordinance, or whether any offence under this Ordinance is being, or has been, committed, and may remove any
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such woman or girl to a place of safety to be there detained until her case be enquired into.
(2) The Secretary for Chinese Affairs or such officer as aforesaid may during or after any such search as is referred to in sub-section (1), arrest OT cause to be arrested any person reasonably suspected of being liable to prosecution for an offence against this Ordinance, and may seize and detain any articles, or any hooks, documents
or accounts, which he may have reason to believe to relate to any offence against this Ordinance.
(3) No person shall refuse the Secte- tary for Chinese Affairs or such officer as aforesaid access to any such vessel, house, building or other place, or otherwise obstruct or hinder him in effecting an entrance, or in removing such woman or girl, or in seizing and detaining such articles, books, documents or accounts,
(4). (a) In carrying out any search under the provisions of this section the Secretary for Chinese Affairs or such officer as aforesaid shall have power to put questions and to give any such order or direction as may be necessary to the inmates of any vessel, house, building, or other place for the purpose of carrying out such search.
() The inmates of any vessel, house, building, or other place shall answer truth- fully all questions put to them by the Secretary for Chinese Affairs, or such officer as aforesaid, and shall obey any order or direction given by him touching any matter or any person connected with such search.
(c) No person shall by force, restraint, threats, inducement, or other means, cause any woman or girl who is or may be liable to be dealt with under the provisions of this Ordinance to conceal herself in or to leave any vessel, house, building, or other place being searched or about to be searched by the Secretary for Chinese Affairs or such officer as aforesaid under the provi- sions of this section, with the intent that the search of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs or such officer may thereby be evaded or obstructed.
(5) Every person who contravenes any of the provisions of this section shall upon summary conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars and to imprisonment for any term not exceeding six months,
Passed the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, this 31st day of October, 1929.
E. I. WYNNE-JONES,
Deputy Clerk of Councils,
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