Slave produced be.
set free.
4.-And be it enacted, on any such previous slave being produced before tore Magistrate to be such Magistrate as aforesaid, that it shall be explained to him, apart from his former owner, that slavery is prohibited in the Colony of Hongkong, and that he is free to depart whithersoever he pleases, and such Magistrate as aforesaid shall take due care that such liberty is freely exercised.
Owner of slave re-
5. And be it enacted in case of any such previous slave expressing a wish taining slave in his to remain with his former owner, that such owner shall, together with two approved sureties, resident householders in Hongkong aforesaid, enter into a bond to Her Majesty in the sum of five hundred dollars, conditioned against the removal of such previous slave from the Colony of Hongkong by his said former owner, without the said previous slave having been produced before the Chief Magistrate, or any other Justice of the Peace of the said Colony of Hongkong, and examined apart as to his voluntarily departing with his said former owner, and being informed that by his so doing he will revert to his former state of slavery.
removal of slave.
Slave to be sup-
6. And be it enacted in case any such previous slave shall at any time leave his former owner, or in case such former owner shall be unable or unwilling to enter into such bond as aforesaid, that such previous slave shall be maintained at the public cost, until such time as he is enabled to gain his own livelihood; and the Chief Magistrate aforesaid is hereby authorized, with the approbation of the Governor in Council, to apprentice or otherwise place out such previous slave as aforesaid, with a view to his obtaining a livelihood by his own labour.
former owner, or of
Slave found in ser-
7. And be it enacted, if any such previous slave as last aforesaid shall be thereafter found in the possession or employment of his former owner, that such possession or employment shall be deemed prima facie proof of such owner having unduly repossessed himself of the said previous slave; and such owner in default of rebutting such presumption shall be liable to the penalties herein affixed to the treating or using any one as a slave in Hongkong.
'owner.
Liabilities incurred
8.--And be it enacted, that any person knowingly receiving in his house any one having any person previously a slave in his possession, or a person used or intended to be used or claimed as such, and not giving immediate information thereof to the Chief Magistrate of Hongkong or the nearest Justice of the Peace, shall upon conviction thereof before the Chief Magistrate, or such Court at Hongkong as herein aforesaid, be liable to be imprisoned for any period not exceeding three months, with or without hard labor and corporal punishment, and shall forfeit such sum not exceeding one hundred dollars for each offence, and also such sum not exceeding fifty dollars to be paid to the person giving information of the same, as shall be adjudged in manner aforesaid.
Penalties to be cu-
mulatory.
Rule for interpre-
Ordinances.
9. And be it enacted that the punishments and penalties herein provided shall be held and deemed to be in addition to those inflicted by the Law of England for any offence mentioned herein; and not in any way in the stead, lieu, or substitution thereof. Provided always and it is hereby enacted that no part of any sum forfeited, and declared by the Laws of England to be payable to any informer, shall be paid to such informer without the express direction of the Chief Magistrate or Court aforesaid, who shall have full power to make such deductions therefrom as may be deemed expedient.
10.-And be it enacted that whenever this or any other ordinance, in describing or referring to any offence, or the subject matter on, or with respect to which it shall be committed, or the offender or the party affected or intended to be affected by the offence, hath used or shall use words importing the singular number or the masculine gender only, yet the Ordinance shall be understood to include several matters as well as one matter, and several persons as well as one person, and females as well as males, and bodies corporate as well as individuals; unless it be otherwise specially provided, or there be something in the subject or context repugnant to such construction.
Passed the Legislative Council,
on the 28th day of February, 1844,
RICHARD BURGASS.
Clerk of the Legislative Council.
HENRY POTTINGER.
Governor, &c. &c. &c.
HONGKONG,-Published by Authority.
Printed by Joan Cairns.
201
Slave produced be.
set free.
4.-And be it enacted, on any such previous slave being produced before tore Magistrate to be such Magistrate as aforesaid, that it shall be explained to him, apart from his former owner, that slavery is prohibited in the Colony of Hongkong, and that he is free to depart whithersoever he pleases, and such Magistrate as aforesaid shall take due care that such liberty is freely exercised.
Owner of slave re-
5. And be it enacted in case of any such previous slave expressing a wish taining slave in his to remain with his former owner, that such owner shall, together with two ap- service to enter to proved sureties, resident householders in Hongkong aforesaid, enter into a bond to a bond with sureties Her Majesty in the sum of five hundred dollars, conditioned against the removal of conditioned for non- such previous slave from the Colony of Hongkong by his said former owner, with- out the said previous slave having been produced before the Chief Magistrate, or any other Justice of the Peace of the said Colony of Hongkong, and examined apart as to his voluntarily departing with his said former owner, and being informed that by his so doing he will revert to his former state of slavery.
removal of slave.
Slave to be sup-
6. And be it enacted in case any such previous slave shall at any time leave ported and appren his former owner, or in case such former owner shall be unable or unwilling to Liced in case of his enter into such bond as aforesaid, that such previous slave shall be maintained at fot remaining with the public cost, until such time as he is enabled to gain his own livelihood; and the formet owner not en Chief Magistrate aforesaid is hereby authorized, with the approbation of the Governor in Council, to apprentice or otherwise place out such previous slave as tering into bond.
aforesaid, with a view to his obtaining a livelihood by his own labour.
former owner, or of
Slave found in ser- 7. And be it enacted, if any such previous slave as last aforesaid shall be vice of former owner thereafter found in the possession or employment of his former owner, that such proof of due hiring possession or employment shall be deemed prima facie proof of such owner having to lay upon former unduly repossessed himself of the said previous slave; and such owner in default of rebutting such presumption shall be liable to the penalties herein affixed to the treating or using any one as a slave in Hongkong.
'owner.
Liabilities incurred
8.--And be it enacted, that any person knowingly receiving in his house any by any person not one having any person previously a slave in his possession, or a person used or giving information of intended to be used or claimed as such, and not giving immediate information owner of slaves in thereof to the Chief Magisträte of Hongkong or the nearest Justice of the Peace, habiting his house.
shall upon conviction thereof before the Chief Magistrate, or such Court at flong- kong as herein aforesaid, be liable to be imprisoned for any period not exceeding three months, with or without hard labor and corporal punishment, and shall forfeit such sum not exceeding one hundred dollars for each offence, and also such sun not exceeding fifty dollars to be paid to the person giving information of the same, as shall be adjudged in manner aforesaid.
Penalties to be cu- mulatory.
Rule for interpre-
Ordinances.
9. And be it enacted that the punishments and penalties herein provided shall be held and deemed to be in addition to those inflicted by the Law of England for any offence me tioned herein; and not in any way in the stead, lieu, or substitution thereof. Provided always and it is hereby enacted that no part of any sum forfeited, and declared by the Laws of Englarid to be payable to any informer, shall be paid to such informer without the express direction of the Chief Magistrate or Court aforesaid, who shall have full power to make such de- ductions therefrom as may be deemed expedient.
10.-And be it enacted that whenever this or any other ordinance, in des- ting this and other cribing or referring to any offence, or the subject matter on, or with respect to which it shall be committed, or the offender or the party affected or intended to be affected by the offence, hath used or shall use words importing the singular number or the masculine gender only, yet the Ordinance shall be understood to include several matters as well as one matter, and several persons as well as one person, and females as well as males, and bodies corporate as well as individuals; unless it be otherwise specially provided, or there be something in the subject or context repugnant to such construction.
Passed the Legislative Council,
on the 28th day of February, 1844,
RICHARD BURGASS.
Clerk of the Legislative Council.
HENRY POTTINGER.
Governor, &c. &c. &c.
HONGKONG,-Published by Authority.
Printed by Joan Cairns.
201
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