Directory_and_Chronicle_1877 — Page 670

BRITISH

EMIGRATION.

CHINESE PASSENGERS' ACT.

ANNO DECIMO OCTAVO ET DECIMO NONO VICTORIÆ REGINÆ.

CAP. CIV.

An Act for the Regulation of Chinese Passenger Ships.

14th August, 1855.

Whereas abuses have occurred in conveying Emigrants from ports in the Chinese Seas: And whereas it is expedient to prevent such abuses: Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

• I.-In the Construction of this Act, the Term "Chinese Passenger ships" shall include every ship carrying from any port in Hongkong, and every British ship carrying from any port in China or within one hundred miles of the coast thereof, more than twenty passengers, being natives of Asia; the word "Colony" shall include all Her Majesty's Possessions abroad not being under the Government of the East India Company; the word "Governor" shall signify the person for the time being lawfully administering the Government of such colony; the term "Legislature of Hongkong shall signify the Governor and Legislative Council or other legislative authority of the same for the time being; the word "Ship" shall include all seagoing vessels; the term "Commander" and "Master" of any ship shall include any person for the time being in "command or charge of the same;" the term "Emigration Officer" shall include every person lawfully acting as emigration officer, immigration agent or protector of emigrants, and every person authorized by the Governor of any British colony to carry out the Provisions of this Act; and the term "British Consul" shall include every person lawfully exercising Consular authority on behalf of Her Majesty in any foreign port.

II.-It shall be lawful for the Legislature of Hongkong, by any ordinance to be by them enacted for the purpose, to make regulations respecting Chinese passenger ships, and, in the case of British ships, respecting the treatment of the passengers therein while at sea; and until such enactment, the Regulations contained in Schedule (A) to this Act annexed shall be in force: Provided always, that no such ordinance shall come into operation until Her Majesty's confirmation of the same shall have been proclaimed in Hongkong by the Governor thereof.

III.-It shall be lawful for the Governor of Hongkong to declare, by proclamation, for the purposes of this Act and of the said regulations, what shall be deemed to be the duration of the voyage of any Chinese passenger ship, and by such proclamation to alter the scales of dietary, medicines, and medical comforts contained in the aforesaid schedule (A).

IV.-No Chinese passenger ship shall clear out or proceed to sea on any voyage of more than seven days' duration until the master thereof shall have received from an emigration officer a copy of the aforesaid regulations, and a certificate in the form contained in schedule B to this Act annexed, or in such other form as may be prescribed by the said Legislature, which copy and certificate, with any documents to be attached thereto (hereinafter designated as emigration papers), shall be signed by the said emigration officer, nor until the master shall, with two sufficient sureties, to

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