35840-1914-Regulations-under-the-Cremation-Ordinance-1914 — Page 2

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, MAY 15, 1914.

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(b.) a post-mortem examination of the remains has been held by a Medical Officer appointed by the Governor under Section 6 of the Coroner's Abolition Ordinance, 1888, or under Section 17 Sub-section 5 of the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, 1896, or by any two registered Medical Practitioners the name of one of whom at least appears in "the Medical Register" above described, and such Medical Officer or both of such Practitioners shall certify in the Form 3 in the Schedule that to the best of his or their knowledge and belief the death was not due to poison or to violence or to any illegal operation or to privation or to neglect;

or

(c.) the Magistrate discharging the duties of Coroner has authorized the disposal

of the body.

10. On the production of the necessary certificates issued in accordance with (a), (b) or (c) of the foregoing Regulation the Head of the Sanitary Department shall issue a permit in writing in the Form 4 in the Schedule authorizing the cremation of the remains at a place to be named in the permit and the person receiving such authorization shall give not less than two hours' notice of the time and place of cremation to the Inspector of Ceme- teries: such permit shall be handed to the person in charge of the Crematorium and shall be returned by him to the Head of the Sanitary Department on completion of the cremation: Provided that the Head of the Sanitary Department in any case in his absolute discre- may decline to issue a permit, or if a permit has been issued may withdraw such permit at any time before the cremation has taken place.

tion

11. If the Magistrate discharging the duties of Coroner has given notice that he intends to hold an inquest on the body the Head of the Sanitary Department shall not allow the cremation to take place until the disposal of the body has been authorized by such Magistrate.

12. In the case of the remains of a person who has died in any place out of the Colony the Head of the Sanitary Department may accept a declaration containing the prescribed particulars if it be made before any person having authority in that place to administer an oath or to take a declaration, and he may accept medical certificates if they be signed by any Medical Practitioners who are shown to his satisfaction to possess qualifications substantially equivalent to those prescribed in the case of each certificate by these Regulations.

13. The Regulations above referred to, save those prohibiting cremation except in a crematorium of the opening of which due notice has been given and prohibiting the cremation of the remains of a person who has left written direction to the contrary, do not apply to the cremation of the remains of a deceased person who has already been buried for not less than one year and in respect of which a licence to exhume has been granted under Section 91a of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinances, 1903. Such remains may be cremated subject to the conditions of the licence to exhume and any such cremation in which those conditions are not observed is to be deemed a contravention of these Regulations.

14. Notwithstanding the foregoing Regulations the Head of the Sanitary Department may permit the cremation of the remains of a still-born child if it be certified to be still-born by a registered Medical Practitioner after examination of the body.

15. After the cremation of the remains of a deceased person the ashes shall be given into the charge of the person who applies for the cremation if he so desires. If such person does not desire to receive the ashes they shall be retained by the cremation authority and in the absence of any special arrangement for their burial or preservation shall be decently interred in a burial ground or in land adjoining the crematorium reserved for the burial of ashes. In the case of ashes left temporarily in the charge of the cremation authority and not removed within a reasonable time a fortnight's notice shall be given to the person who applied for the cremation before the ashes are interred.

16. A register shall be kept in English by the person in charge of each crematorium, at or near the crematorium, showing the date of cremation and the name, sex and age of the person whose remains have been cremated and such register shall be open to inspection by any member of the public at any reasonable hour.

M. J. BREEN,

Clerk of Councils.

COUNCIL CHAMBER,

14th May, 1914.