692134-1876-Bill-read-first-time-Emigration-Amendment- — Page 2

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 15TH APRIL, 1876.

An Ordinance enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice of the Legislative Council thereof, to amend the Law relating to Chinese Passenger Ships and the Conveyance of Chinese Emigrants.

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1876.]

solidation Ordinance, 1874," it is enacted" that no Chinese passenger ship, except ships about to proceed on a voyage of not more than thirty days' duration within the meaning of section "VIII of this Ordinance, shall clear out or proceed to sea, and the Emigration Officer shall not grant the certificate prescribed by section IV of The Chinese Passengers' Act, 1855,' unless the master of such ship shall be provided with a licence under the "hand of the Governor and the public seal of the Colony to be "obtained in manner hereinafter mentioned"; and (paragraph 2) "that it shall be lawful for the Governor in Council, from time to time, to exempt from the operation of this section, any mail steamers or other vessels which are subject to the provisions "of 'The Chinese Passengers Act, 1855,' provided that the "Chinese passengers proceeding in such vessels be free emigrants "and under no contract of service whatever"; and whereas it is expedient that every Chinese passenger ship should be provided with a licence, and that the fee chargeable upon such licence should he reduced, and that the law should be amended as hereinafter provided: Be it therefore enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:--

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I. Section V of "The Chinese Emigration Consolidation Ordinance, 1874" is hereby repealed, and the second section of this Ordinance is enacted instead thereof, and shall be read as if it had originally been inserted in the place of the said section V; and in any new edition of the Ordinances may be printed as section V of the said Ordinance.

Licensing of" Chinese Passenger Ships."

Title.

Preamble.

Repeal.

sea without a

II. No Chinese passenger ship shall clear out or proceed to sea, No Chinese and the Emigration Officer shall not grant the certificate prescribed passenger ship by section IV of "The Chinese Passengers' Act, 1855," unless the to proceed to master of such ship shall be provided with a licence under the licence from hand of the Governor and the public seal of the Colony, or under the Governor. the hand and seal of an Emigration Officer, to be obtained in [Ord. 4 of manner hereinafter mentioned.

1870, sec. 3.]

2. Whenever any Chinese passenger ship is about to proceed Time and mode to sea upon any voyage of more than seven days duration, the of application owners or charterers of such ship, or if absent from the Colony for licence in

the Colony. their respective agents, may, before such ship is laid on for the

[Ibid, sec. 4.] conveyance of Chinese emigrants, and before any depôt is opened for their reception, apply in writing to the Colonial Secretary for a licence under the hand of the Governor and the public seal of the Colony for the conveyance of such emigrants and shall furnish all particulars as to the destination of the said ship and as to all other matters relating to the intended voyage and emigration which may be required of them.

3. Whenever any Chinese passenger ship, which is not pro- Time and mode vided with a licence covering her intended voyage, is about to of application proceed from any port in China, or within one hundred miles of for licence at the Coast thereof, upon a voyage of not more than thirty days' the Colony.

the ports out of duration, the owners or charterers of such ship, or, if absent, their respective agents, may, before such ship is laid on for the convey- ance of Chinese emigrants, and before any depôt is opened for their reception, apply in writing to the Emigration Officer at such port for a licence under his hand and seal for the conveyance of such emigrants upon the intended voyage only, and shall furnish all particulars as to the destination of the said ship, and as to all other matters relating to the intended voyage and emigration which may be required of them.

4. All such particulars shall, if so ordered, be verified upon Punishment oath before the Emigration Officer or any Justice of the Peace, for furnishing and every person who shall knowingly furnish untrue particulars, untrue shall be liable to imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for particulars. any period not exceeding six calendar months, and to a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars, either in addition to or in substitu- tion of such imprisonment.

[Ibid, sec. 5.]

5. The Governor in Council may, at his discretion, grant to General any mail steamer or other vessel a general licence for any period, licences to mail or for any number of voyages, or for voyages to and from any steamers, &c.

specified port or ports, upon the condition that the vessel provided

with such licence shall carry only free passengers under no con- tract of service whatever, except us hereinafter mentioned.

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