CO129-608-7 Future policy- Report on Port Administration by Sir David Owen 24-2-1941 - 24-2-1941 — Page 309

12

No. 10 of 1899.

335

MERCHANT SHIPPING.

MERCHANT SHIPPING.

No. 10 of 1899.

13

the Colony certificate of discharge, and account

of wages.

Penalty for forcing or leaving

seaman on shore.

Limited exemption

of seaman

shipped under the Ordinance from

liability to

arrest on

civil process.

Establish-

ment and regulation

of boarding

houses.

[cf. No. 23 of 1917, s. 2.]

seaman a written certificate of discharge, specifying the time and nature of service and the time of discharge of such seaman, signed by himself, and, if such seaman requires it, shall further give him, within twenty-four hours after demand, a true account in writing of the wages of such seaman and of all deductions therefrom.

[(10), rep. No, 21 of 1922.]

(11) Every master or any other person belonging to any British ship who wrongfully forces on shore and leaves behind, or otherwise wilfully and wrongfully leaves behind, in the Colony any seaman or apprentice belonging to such ship before the completion of the voyage for which such seaman or apprentice was engaged, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars, or to imprisonment for any term not exceeding six months.

(12) No seaman who has been actually shipped on board any vessel in compliance with this Ordinance shall, during the time for which he is then shipped, be liable to be arrested on civil process, unless the debt or demand exceeds the sum of five hundred dollars: Provided always that by the term seaman in this sub-section shall be meant only a person who has, within the space of six months previously, served on board a ship for wages as a seaman, and that the protection from arrest hereby granted shall not be held to extend to any person not coming within such definition, or in any case to masters, mates or engineers.

Boarding-houses for seamen.

6. (1) The Harbour Master shall have power to license a sufficient number of fit and proper persons to keep boarding- houses for seamen, not being Chinese; and every such licence shall be countersigned by the Colonial Secretary, and shall be granted for such period, not exceeding one year, and on such terms and security, and shall be renewable on such conditions, as the Colonial Secretary may appoint; and it shall be lawful for the Colonial Secretary to demand for every such licence an

annual fee of twenty-five dollars or at the rate thereof, according [s. 6 conti.] to the term of such licence; and every such house shall be for the reception of such number of seamen only as may be expressed in the licence, under a penalty of twenty-five dollars for each seaman lodged at one time in excess of such number, and shall not be granted until there have been constructed in the house to be licensed suitable rooms, to be approved by the Harbour Master; and no such boarding-house shall be a house licensed for the sale of intoxicating liquors, nor shall any charge for intoxicating liquor be allowed in any account for the amount of which any seaman may be indebted, or stated to be indebted, to any person; and every such boarding-house shall be open at all times to the visit of any justice of the peace, or of the Harbour Master, or of any inspector of police. The Harbour Master may refuse to grant any such licence, and may limit the number and description of seamen to be boarded in each house, and may make regulations, subject to the approval of the Governor, for the government of such houses, and may by such regulations determine the charge to be made for board and Regulations lodging; and a copy of such regulations shall be hung up in Table K. each house for the inspection of the inmates; and for any infraction of any one of such regulations the offender shall be liable to a fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars, and for a second offence may further be deprived, if the keeper of such house, of his licence. Licences issued under this section shall be terminable on the 30th day of November of each year.

unlicensed

(2) Every person who, not having obtained a licence re- Penalty for quired by sub-section (1), keeps a boarding-house for seamen, keeping shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars; and the boarding- fact of more than one seaman boarding or lodging in the house house. of any person shall be primâ facie proof of the keeping of a boarding-house for seamen by such person; but nothing in this Ordinance shall be construed to prevent any seaman from having the whole or any part of any house for the residence of himself or his family and boarding himself therein.

house

(3) Every licensed keeper of a boarding-house for seamen Duties of shall cause daily to be entered in a book, in English, the name boarding. and description of each seaman who has, on that day, come to keeper. board or lodge at his house, and the name of each seaman who has left his house on that day after being a lodger or boarder therein, and such other particulars as the Harbour

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