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900 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 30тп OCTOBER, 1897.

Short title.

Rules as to gender and number.

No. 1 of 1967, s. 5.

See also 52 & 53 Pict. c. 63,

• 1 (1).

52 & 53 Vict.

e. 69, s. 1 (2).

Application of penal enactments to bodies corporate.

52 & 53 Vict. c. 63, B. 2.

Interpreta-

words and

A BILL

ENTITLED

An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to the Construction of Ordinances, to further shorten the Language used in Ordi- nances, and for other like purposes.

Be it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:--

1. This Ordinance may be cited for all purposes as The Interpretation Ordinance, 1897.

Existing Interpretations.

2.—(1.) In this Ordinance and in every Ordinance passed after the 22nd day of May, 1867, whether before or after the commencement of this Ordinance, unless the contrary intention appears,

(a.) Words importing the masculine gender shall in-

clude females; and

(b.) Words in the singular shall include the plural, and words in the plural shall include the singular. (2.) The same rules shall be observed in the construction of every enactment relating to an offence punishable on summary conviction or on information when the enactment is contained in an Ordinance passed before the 22nd day of May, 1867.

3.-(1.) In the construction of every enactment relating to an offence punishable on summary conviction or on in- formation, whether contained in an Ordinance passed before or after the commencement of this Ordinance, the word "person" shall, unless the contrary intention appears, in- clude a body corporate.

(2.) Where under any Ordinance, whether passed before or after the commencement of this Ordinance, any forfeiture or penalty is payable to a party aggrieved, it shall be pay- able to a body corporate in every case where that body is. the party aggrieved.

4. In this Ordinance and in every Ordinance passed after tion of certain the 22nd day of May, 1867, whether before or after the commencement of this Ordinance, the following words and expressions in expressions shall, unless the contrary intention appears, have the mearings hereby respectively assigned to them, namely,-

Ordinances

passed after 22nd May, 1867.

No. 1 of 1867, 1.2.

(1.) The word “ Governor" shall include the officer for the time being administering the government of the Colony;

(2.) The expression "Governor-in-Council" shall mean the Governor with the advice of the Executive Council of the Colony;

(3.) The word "Colony" shall mean the Colony of Hong-

kong and its dependencies;

(4.) The expression

"Colonial Waters" shall mean the waters of the Colony ;

(5.) The word "Harbour" shall mean the barbour of

Victoria;

(6.) The expression "Chinese Authorities" shall mean any officer of the Chinese Government acting on behalf of such Government and recognized as such officer by the Government of the Colony;

(7.) The word “Gazette" shall mean The Hongkong

Government Gazette;

(8.) The expression "Public Office" or "Publice Depart- ment "shall extend to and include every officer or de- partment invested with or performing duties of a public nature, whether under the immediate control of the Gov- ernor or not;

(9.) The word "Magistrate" shall mean a Police Magis-

trate of the Colony;

(10.) The expression "Emigration Officer" shall include every person lawfully acting as emigration officer, emi- gration agent, or protector of emigrants in the Colony; (11.) The word "Master" shall include any person having charge of a ship or vessel other than a ship of war of Her Majesty, a ship of war of any foreign nation, and a hired armed vessel or transport in Her Majesty's service or in the service of any foreign nation;