ORDINANCES Nos . 4 AND 5 OF 1850. 245
Desertion of Seamen. Justices of the Peace.
the ship to which such seaman may belong, and be recoverable from him at the suit of
the Superintendent of Police, as a debt due to the Government of this Colony ; and
the subsistence money for every such seaman confined in gaol shall be paid weekly in
advance to the keeper of the gaol , and in default of such payment, the gaoler may release
such seaman.
6. And be it further enacted and ordained , that at the requisition of the Consul At the requisi
tion of foreign
resident at Hongkong, of any Foreign Nation , it shall be lawful for the Governor of the Consuls, opera
tion of this
Ordinance may
said Colony to suspend the operation of this Ordinance in regard to the ships of that be suspended.
Nation, for so long a period as such Consul may require or the said Governor may think
fit ; and that on like requisition it shall and may be lawful for the said Governor, if he
deem it fit , to cause any pending proceeding or case under this Ordinance to be dis
continued and abated.
[ Repealed by Ordinance No. 8 of 1879. ]
No. 5 of 1850.
An Ordinance to regulate Proceedings before Justices of the Title.
[ See Ords.
Peace. No. 10of 1844
and No. 16 of
[ 17th December, 1850. ] 1875. ]
HEREAS in consequence of the multiplicity of cases civil and Preamble.
WHE
criminal that occur for adjudication or investigation before
Justices ofthe Peace as constituting the Court of Petty Sessions , or sitting
singly, it has become necessary to ordain a uniform, simple , and effectual
mode of procedure, and of recording the proceedings in such cases : Be it
therefore enacted and ordained , that ,
1. The provisions of this Ordinance shall extend to all cases whatever, To what
cases
* civil or criminal , cognizable by any Justice or Justices of the Peace, Ordinance
shall extend.
whether sitting in session or otherwise, notwithstanding anything [ See Ord.
heretofore enacted and ordained on this behalf. No. 6 of1862.]
2. Be it further enacted and ordained , that by each Justice or at Issue of sum
mons to be
each public office shall be kept a book in the form to this Ordinance noted in Writ
Book,
annexed, or in any similar form containing the same particulars, to be
called the Writ Book, containing an abstract of all summonses , warrants,
and other writs issued by the said Justice or from the said office , and
the issue ofthe summons or warrant, and entry of such abstract conse
quent upon the vivâ voce statement of the plaintiff or his attorney, may
be the commencement of the suit, without any further written affidavit and to be
commence
or information whatever ; Provided that should the defendant appear in ment of
suit.
Court voluntarily, or upon arrest without warrant, such appearance may