725094-1856-GOVERNMENT-NOTIFICATION-NO-87 — Page 1

cution.

The Hongkong Government Gazetje.

[No. 60.-AUGust 23, 1856.

Or (if before tho VI. If the Court before which the Statements in Section Five mentioned, or the last of them, shall have Supreme Court

or been so made shall happen to be the Supreme Courty or the Court of Petty Sessions, such Court may, if it Petty Sessions) sum- shail think fit, either direct a Prosecution of the same for Perjury, and commit the Offender unless he shall marily, unless they shall direct a Prose-give bail for trial at the next Sessions of the Court so committing, or treat the same as a Contempt of Court, and forthwith proceed summarily to punish the same, either by Fine not exceeding for every such Offence Two Hundred Dollars, or by Imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding for every such Offence Six Calendar Months, which Punishment shall be in lieu of all other Penalties hereby provided. VII. In Proceedings under Sections Five and Six of this Ordinance, it shall not be necessary to enquire, state, or prove the respective Truth or Falsehood of any such Statements.

Not necessary in sneh cases to ascertain the truth of such statements.

VIII. The Materiality of any False Testimony to the issue or matter in question shall not be deemed Materiality of Falso essential in determining the character of the Offence thereby committed; and every Person guilty of False Testimony not esscu- Testimony shall, without regard to the Materiality or Immateriality thereof to any such issue or matter, suffer tial to constitute tho the Penalties of Perjury, if the Jury at his Trial shall think fit to convict him of his said Offence. Offence of Perjury.

IX. Matters of Inducement, and Averments, whether Affirmative or Negative, shall no longer be intro- Shortening the form of Indictments and Induced into Indictments or Informations for Perjury, False Witness, or False Declaration; and it shall be formations for Per-sufficient to charge therein, according to the facts, that the Defendant, on the day or days, falsely, jury, &c.

knowingly, and wilfully stated before the Court or Person empowered as aforesaid, the matters alleged to be false, setting forth the same shortly, and according to the substantial effect thereof. Ordinances No. 4 of X. Section Five of Ordinance No. Four of 1851 is hereby amended, by substituting the word 1851, (§§ 5,6,7,) and February' for the word January-Sections Six and Seven of the same Ordinance are hereby revived No. 14 of 1856, § 2, and confirined;-Section Two of Ordinance No. Fourteen of 1856, is hereby amended by inserting the word First' before the word 'Schedule ';—And Ordinances No. One of 1851 and No. Four of 1854 are hereby and Ordinances ; No. 1 of 1851, and No. repealed. 4 of 1854 repealed.

amended and confirm-

ed

'Witness' defined.

No. 87.

4

XI. The word Witness' in this Ordinance shall extend to every person whose Answer, Deposition, Affidavit, or other Declaration upon Oath, either vivá voce, in writing, or upon record, may be taken or might have been taken but for this Ordinance.

JOHN BOWRING.

Passed the Legislative Council of Hongkong, this 22d Day of August, 1856.

L. D'ÁLMADA e Castro,

Clerk of Councils.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

In consequence of Regulations issued by the French Authorities, it is necessary that Persons intending to return to Europe via France, should be provided with Passports granted at the Port of Embarkation.

Passports will in consequence be issued to Her Majesty's Subjects by His Excellency The Governor at the Office of the Colonial Secretary. The Official Fee of Five Dollars, under Ordinance No. 5 of 1845, will be payable- on the issue of each Passport..

Where the party applying for a Passport is unknown at the Government Offices, the Signature of Two House- holders in the Colony will be necessary for his identification.

By Order,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hongkong, 21st August, 1856.

:

L. D'ALMADA E CASTRO, for the Colonial Secretary.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

Diplomatic Department.

His Excellency The Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China has great satisfaction in publishing, for the information of all concerned, Translation of a Royal Decree of H.M.C. Majesty dated 29th April, emancipating from all restrictions the Exportation of Rice and Paddy from the Ports of the Philippine Islands designated in the said Decree.

By Order,

Superintendency of Trade, Victoria, Hongkong, 18th August, 1856.

*W. WOODGATE.

EXTRACT FROM the official bulletin of the philippines OF 15TH JULY, 1856. OFFICIAL SECTION.-Supreme Government of the Philippines. From the Principal Department of State charged with the Affairs beyond the Seas, I have received, dated the 29th April last, the following Royal Order: Most Excellent Sr.,-The Queen, whom God preserve! having been advised by Your communication No. 195, dated 7th September ultimo, as by the instructive information which accompanied it, and having Her attention constantly directed to the development of Agricultural Production, which has no other basis than consumption, and no more powerful channel than the freedom of mercantile transactions, has recognized that Your Ordinance of 29th August last is a decided improvement upon the measures formerly taken in times of scarcity, and that for the future the error must cautiously be avoided of seeking to lower prices by the prohibition of exportation and other Official measures since it is only by the liberty of exchange that the current prices of different markets can be levelled according to the laws which regulate supply and demand; and as Her Majesty (whom God preserve!) is of opinion that nothing is more likely to encourage agriculture in the Philippines than the demand for the markets of China, and that this demand will augment trade between the two countries, unless checked by partial interests,—has been pleased to decree as follows: 1st, The Trade in Rice and Paddy between the Ports and Provinces of the Philippine Islands shall in future be carried on in entire liberty, and without being subject to other rules and formalities than those established by the Superintendency for the embarkation or transfer of other articles of free traffic. 2d, The exportation of Rice and Paddy for foreign countries shall have effect from the following Ports,-Manila, in the Province of Tondo; Sual, in that of Pangasinan ; Currimao, in that of North Ilocos; Salomaque, in that of South Ilocos; San Miguel, in that of Camarines, and for those of Zamboanga, Iloilo, Casios, and Antique, in the provinces of the same name, as in all others where a Custom House is established for foreign trade. 3d, For the export of Rice and Paddy, no special license is required from the government, nor other formalities than those adopted as a general rule for articles of free traffic.

By Royal order I communicate this to You, to give proper execution and effect to the same. And having advised the execution, I send it to You to give it the necessary publicity in the province You command.

God preserve you many years, Manila, 15th July, 1856, P.A.D.E.G.G.

THE GENERAL 2D CABO MONTERO.

Copy, MARTINEZ.

True Copy,

W. WOODGATE.