THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 3RD MARCH, 1888.
No. 12 OF 1888.
An Ordinance enacted by the Governor of Hong- kong, with the advice and consent of the Legis- lative Council thereof, entitled The Vagrancy Ordinance, 1888.
LS G. WILLIAM DES VEUX.
[3rd March, 1888.]
E it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the
Badvice and colsent of the Legislative Council thereof,
as follows:-
1. In this Ordinance the term Vagrant meaus any person other than a Chinese found asking for alms or without any employment or visible means of subsistence.
Agent of a vessel includes any person who undertakes the agency of such vessel, though he may not be the con- signee thereof.
2. The Governor may provide a House of Detention for Vagrants at such place as he may think proper, and may appoint a Superintendent and such Officers as he may think proper, and may remove any such Superintendent or Officers at pleasure.
The Governor may by notification in the Gazette certify any building or part of a building to be a House of Detention for the purposes of this Ordinance, and until any such house be provided the Gaol at Victoria may be used as such house for the purpose of this Ordinance.
3. Every House of Detention shall be under the imme- diate charge of a Superintendent who shall be appointed, and may be suspended or removed by the Governor, and until any other appointment is made the Superintendent of Victoria Gaol shall be the Superintendent of the House of Detention.
4. Any Police Officer may require any person who is apparently a vagrant to accompany him or any other Police Officer to, and to appear before, a Magistrate.
5. Such Magistrate shall in such case, or in any other case where a person apparently a Vagrant comes before him, make a summary enquiry into the circumstances of such apparent Vagrant and if satisfied that he is a Vagrant shall declare him to be such.
6. If such Magistrate shall be further of opinion that such Vagrant is not likely to obtain employment at once, or if he has reason to believe that a declaration of vagrancy has on any former occasion been recorded in respect of such Vagrant, he shall require such Vagrant to go to a House of Detention, and shall draw up an order to that effect.
7. The Vagrant shall then be placed in charge of the Police for the purpose of being forwarded to the House of Detention and the said order shall be a sufficient author- ity to the Police for retaining him in their charge while he is on his way to the House of Detention and to the Super- intendent of the House of Detention for receiving and detaining such Vagrant.
8. Where the Magistrate dealing with such Vagrant is of opinion that the Vagrant is likely to obtain employment in the Colony, such Magistrate may in his discretion forward the Vagrant in charge of the Police to the place where such employment is likely to be obtained and may draw up' an order to that effect. Such order shall be a sufficient authority to the Police for retaining the Vagrant in their charge whilst on his way to such place of employment, and afterwards, should he not succeed in obtaining such employment.
9. The Magistrate dealing with any Vagrant shall to the best of his ability, assist him in seeking employment, and may in the meantime if he think fit keep such Vagrant in charge of the Police. Should the Vagrant fail to obtain suitable employment within a reasonable time not exceed ing at the most seven days, such Magistrate shall forward him to a House of Detention as provided in Section 6.
10. Every person while in charge of the Police under this Ordinance or whilst seeking employment shall be entitled to the same maintenance and subject to the same regulations as prisoners detained on remand.
Interpreta-
tion.
Governor may provide House of Detention; in the mean- time Victoria Gael declared as such.
Mean-
Governor to appoint Superinten dent. time Superin- tendent of Victoria Guol to be Superinten→ dent.
Conveyance before Magistrate.
Magistrate may declare a person to be f vagrant.
Committal to House of Detention.
Power to detain.
Magistrate may forward Lo plucu of employment.
Magistrat
to assist in secking employment.
To be treated
as prisoners on remand.
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