CO885-(23-24) — Page 83

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

MC.O. 885

23 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

hort Title.

efinitions.

. B.T. die- Based Seamen

ego. 1 (2). B.R. id O. 1908,

606 aeg.

f. Distressed

men

ega. 1 (1).

Sepatriation greements and artificates of lentification.

A BILL FOR AN ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FACILITIES FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND REPATRIATION OF NATIVE SEAMEN EN- GAGED FOR FOREIGN VOYAGES.

BE IT ENACTED, ETC.

1. This Ordinance may be cited as the "Native Seamen Repatriation Ordinance 19

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2. In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them, that is to say :—

"Native means and includes any person born or usually resident in [the Colony] [British West Africa] [the British West Indies].

"Seaman" means and includes any apprentice to the sea or other person (except a master or pilot) employed or engaged in any capacity on board any ship for a voyage which is to terminate in any place outside [the Colony] [British West Africa] [the British West Indies].

C

Proper Authority" means :-

(a) As regards the Colony, the Governor or any

person acting under his authority.

(b) As regards a place in the United Kingdom, a Superintendent of Mercantile Marine.

(c) As regards a place in a British Possession or British Protectorate outside [the Colony] [British West Africa] [the British West Indies] the Officer Administering the Govern- ment of such Possession or Protectorate or any person acting under his authority. (d) As regards a place in any foreign State under the Protection of His Majesty, the person acting as British Resident or other chief representative of His Majesty in such State or any person acting under his authority. (e) As regards a place in a foreign State not under the Protection of His Majesty, the British Consular Officer or, if there is no such officer in the place, any two British merchants resident at or near the place, or, if there is only one British merchant so resident, that British merchant.

"

"Shipping Master means the officer at any port in the Colony duly authorised to sanction the engagement

of seamen.

["British West Africa" includes all British Possessions or Protectorates on the western side of the continent

of Africa within the tropical zone.

"British West Indies means all British Possessions in the West Indies, and includes the Bermuda Islands,

British Guiana, and British Honduras].

3. Where the master of any ship is desirous of engaging any native to act as a seaman, the following provisions shall have effect :-

(1) The master shall before engaging the native

appear with him before the Shipping Master.

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(2) The master of the ship shall in the presence of the Shipping Master execute a written under- taking (to be called a "repatriation agree. ment") to make adequate provision for the

return of the native to

[the Colony,]

[the Colony or the part of British West

Africa of which he is a native]

[the Colony or the part of the British West

Indies of which he is a native]

and for his maintenance, pending such return, on application being made to him by the native within three months after the termi- nation of the voyage for which he is engaged or of his being discharged before such termi- nation, or if he remains in the service of the owner of the ship after such voyage and if he is discharged from the ship in any place outside the limits of [the Colony] [British West Indies] West Africa] [the British within three months after such discharge.

(3) The repatriation agreement shall be made in duplicate in the form set out in the First Part of the Schedule hereto, and one part thereof shall be written upon or attached to the ship's articles, and the counterpart shall the Shipping be retained and filed in Master's office.

(4) The Shipping Master shall furnish free of cost

to the native a certificate in the form set out

in the Second Part of the Schedule hereto (to

be called a certificate of identification),

giving the seaman's full name, stating

[that he is a native of the Colony,]

[of what part of British West Africa he is

a native,]

[of what part of the British West Indies

he is a native,].

and containing such a description of his personal appearance and such other particulars concerning him as appear to the Shipping Master desirable to facilitate his identification. Before delivering such certificate to the native the Shipping Master shall cause the the native's repatriation particulars of agreement to be endorsed on the certificate.

authority in

4. If within four months of any person landing in the Repatriation Colony such person produces to the proper authority in Seamen to pla the Colony a certificate of identification issued and duly abroad by prop endorsed under any law or ordinance similar to this Colony. ordinance and in force in any place outside (the Colony] [British West Africa] [the British West Indies] and stating that such person is a native of a place outside [the Colony] [British West Africa] [the British West Indies] and claims to be the person named in such certificate, and applies to have provision made for his return to the place of which he is stated by such certificate to be a native and for his maintenance pending such return, such proper authority may make provision for the maintenance and return of such person accordingly, and any expenses