691015-1877-Bill-read-first-time-Chinese-Passengers--Special-Licences- — Page 2

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 22ND SEPTEMBER, 1877.

the

And whereas it is expedient by means of this Ordinance to relieve passenger steamers hereinafter mentioned from the regulations in the said schedule E, and to substitute other regulations in regard thereto Be it enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:-

I. This Ordinance may be cited for all purposes as "The Chinese Short title. Passengers' Ordinance, 1877, (Special Licences.)"

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II. In the construction of this Ordinance and of the regulations Interpretation in the schedule hereto, the terms and expressions following, that clause. is to say,

"Chinese Passenger Ships," Governor," "British Consul," Emigration Officer," and "Master" shall have the meaning assigned to them respectively by section I of "The Chinese Passengers' Act, 1855."

CC

"Voyage of not more than thirty days' duration" shall mean and include any voyage which, in pursuance of the third section of "The Chinese Passengers' Act, 1855," is for the time being declared to be a voyage of not more than thirty days' duration.

mail steamers,

III. The Governor in Council may, at his discretion, and on Grant of spe- payment of a fee of five dollars, grant a special licence for any cial licence to period not exceeding twelve months, or for any number of voyages &c., subject to to be performed within twelve months, to any steamer which is regulation in regularly employed in the conveyance of public mails under an schedule. existing contract with the Government of the State or Colony for which such mails are carried, or to any other steamer which is approved by the Governor as a first class steamer. Such special licence shall authorize the steamer named therein to carry a limited number of free Chinese passengers upon voyages of not more than thirty days' duration between ports to be specified in the licence under and subject to the regulations contained in the schedule to this Ordinance.

The number of passengers to be carried shall be inserted in the licence, and shall in no case exceed one passenger for every ten tons of the registered tonnage of such steamer.

IV. The Governor in Council may, if he think fit, annex any Power to annex special conditions to the granting of any special licence applied for special condi- tions to grant under this Ordinance, and may cause such special conditions to be of licence. specified in the licence.

V. A special licence granted under this Ordinance may, at any Cancellation of time, be cancelled by the Governor in Council at his discretion.

licence.

from other

VI. Every steamer to which a special licence is granted under Licensed stea- this Ordinance shall, during the continuance of such licence, be mers relieved relieved from the regulations contained in schedule A annexed regulations. to "The Chinese Passengers' Act, 1855," and from the regulations contained in schedule E annexed to "The Chinese Emigration Consolidation Ordinance, 1874," but nothing herein contained shall be deemed to relieve such steamer from the operation of any part of "The Chinese Passengers' Act, 1855," except the regulations in the said schedule A.

conditions.

VII. The breach of any regulation contained in the schedule Breach of re- hereto, or of any condition of a special licence, shall be deemed to gulations or be a breach of a regulation respecting Chinese passenger ships within the meaning of "The Chinese Passengers' Act, 1855.”

Whosoever impedes the Emigration Officer in the execution or performance of any of the powers or duties vested in or imposed upon him by this Ordinance, or any regulation thereunder, shall be liable, on conviction in a summary way, to a penalty not exceeding five hundred dollars for each offence.

VIII. For the purposes of this Ordinance, the forms of Emigration Form of Emi- Officer's certificate and of the master's bond contained in gration Offi-

cer's certificate the schedule hereto shall be substituted for the forms respectively and of the mas contained in schedules B and C to "The Chinese Passengers' ter's bond. Act, 1855," annexed.

IX. This Ordinance shall not come into operation until Her Suspending Majesty's confirmation thereof is proclaimed in the Colony by the clause. Governor.

SCHEDULE.

Regulations for Passenger Steamers licensed under this Ordinance,

1. No steamer licensed under this Ordinance shall clear out or proceed to

sea until the master thereof shall have received from the Emigration Officer a See Imperial Act, copy of these regulations, and a certificate in the form annexed hereto, which par. 4. copy and certificate, with any documents to be attached thereto, shall be signed by the Emigration Officer, nor until the master shall, with two sufficient sureties

to be approved by the Emigration Officer, have entered into a joint and several bond in the sum of £1,000 to Her Majesty, Her Heirs and Successors, in the form hereinafter contained.

2. The following conditions as to the accommodation of passengers shall be Accommodation

of passen yers. observed:-

between decks.

(1.) The space appropriated to the passengers between decks shall be Ventilation space properly ventilated and shall contain at the least nine superficial and and bright fifty-four cubical feet of space for every adult on board, that is to say, for every passenger above twelve years of age, and for every two passengers between the ages of one and twelve years; the height between. decks shall be at least six feet.

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