9. FIJI. [Contributed by W. F. CRAIES, Esq.] Ordinances passed-9. Appropriation.-Nos. 1 & 6 are appropriation Ordinances. Oaths. No. 2 adapts to the colony the Imperial Oaths Act, 1888 (51 & 52 Vict., c. 46). Animals. No. 3 prohibits under penalties the importation of the mongoose. Disturbed Districts.-No. 4 repeals an Ordinance of 1876 (No. 29) which restricted travelling in certain districts of Viti Levu, which had then lately been disturbed by a native rising. Post Office. No. 5 amends the postal Ordinance, 1877 (No. 28), by enactments giving effect to the regulations of the Convention of Vienna (July 4th, 1891) for the prevention of the fraudulent manufacture or use of counterfeit or used postage stamps of any state which is a party to the International Postal Union. The Post Office is inter alia entitled to detain packets bearing such stamps until the addressee supplies information as to the origin and nature of the packet. Native Lands.-No. 7 amends the Native Lands Ordinance, 1896 (No. 7),2 by repealing s. 1, and adding to s. 7 of the Lands Ordinance of 1892 (No. 21) a clause enforcing penalties on summary conviction for wilfully interrupting an enquiry under the act or misbehaving during its course. Arms and Warlike Stores.-No. 8 extends the Warlike Stores Exportation Ordinance, 1896 (No. 8),3 so as to prohibit attempts to ship or carry such stores out of the colony. Gaming Houses.-No. 9 repeals s. 30 of the Summary Conviction Offences Ordinance of 1896 (No. 17), and makes fresh provision for the suppression of houses, rooms, or places opened, kept, or used "for the purpose of unlawful gaming being carried on therein." The Ordinance is in the main a redraft of the Imperial Gaming Act, 1845 (8 & 9 Vict., c. 109), and Gaming House Act, 1854 (17 & 18 Vict., c. 38). 10. WESTERN PACIFIC.4 [Contributed by W. F. CRAIES, Esq.] Regulations passed-9. Contagious Disease.-Regulation No. I is framed to prevent the introduction into the British Solomon Islands of contagious disease, defined as 1 Hartslet, vol. xix, p. 325. 2 Journal, vol. ii., p. 201. 'Journal, vol. ii., p. 202. 'As to the mode of legislation for this area, see Journal, vol. ii., p. 202. meaning and including "cholera, small-pox, scarlet fever (scarlatina), oriental plague, typhoid fever, typhus fever, yellow fever, measles, and any disease the nature of which is doubtful so far as its being one of the aforesaid diseases or not." A system of quarantine is provided for all vessels arriving except those coming with a clear bill of health from other Australasian colonies or Tonga, Samoa, or New Caledonia. Vessels from other ports must go to the seat of government and perform quarantine till pratique is granted. Vessels from German Pacific Colonies are put under special regulations (s. 4). Reports of disease are required from the master or surgeon of vessels (ss. 9, 10). Bills of Sale.-No. 2 provides for the registration in Samoa of bills of sale on chattels (when not accompanied by permanent delivery of possession of the chattels). The regulation contains no scheduled form, but prescribes conditions of validity. No. 6 deals with the registration and validity of bills of sale in Tonga,1 and the Gilbert, Ellice, and British Solomon Islands.3 The right to seize the chattels is limited to the events specified in s. 7. The Act follows pretty closely the Imperial Acts of 1878 and 1882, but has no scheduled form. Tanaha.Nos. 3 and 5 provide for raising a total revenue on the British Solomon Islands.4 This is effected by the following taxes :— (a) A capitation tax on all male non-native residents (except ordained. The (b) A station license for every trading station, costing £10 a year or £6 a half-year. (c) A ship license for all ships trading within' or to the Protectorate. It was annual or half-yearly. The annual license is computed on the tonnage at £1 a ton, not exceeding £100. The half-yearly license is at 12s. a ton, not exceeding £60. Ships, boats, and certain vessels used for royal naval purposes are exempt. Under Regulation No. 9 a local revenue for the Gilbert group is created by the imposition of a duty of £12 for a trading license for every separate person engaged in trading on shore. Fire-Arms.—No. 4 restricts the sale and use of fire-arms in the British Solomon Islands. Sale to the natives is forbidden, and ships may be examined by a peace officer to see what arms are on board (ss. 4-11). A license is necessary for possession of arms in the Protectorate (ss. 13-18). Labour ships are permitted to carry a limited amount of fire-arms and ammunition for their protection (s. 12). 1 See Hartslet, vol. xv., p. 396; vol. xix., p. 847. 2 Protectorate established May 27th, 1892 (Hartslet, vol. xix., p. 569). 3 See Pacific Order in Council, 1893, s. 6. • These duties were altered in 1898, Regulation No. 1. Native Labour.-Regulation No. 7 regulates the recruiting of native labourers in the British Solomon Islands, and their employment there, or beyond the limits of the Protectorate. Labour ships must have licenses granted by the High Commissioner or another Australasian Government. Elaborate provisions are made as to inspection, feeding, wages, treatment, and return of the labourers. Inebriates. Regulation No. 8 provides for the issue of orders prohibiting persons on the Gilbert or Ellice groups who are of confirmed intemperate habits from drinking or possessing intoxicating liquor. If they disobey the order they are liable to summary conviction, as are persons who supply them, except for medical purposes. A list of prohibited persons is exhibited in the court-houses of the island. V. SOUTH AFRICA. 1. CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.3 Lunacy. The Lunacy Act, 1897 (No. 1), is a comprehensive Act of seventy-eight sections, which contains provisions corresponding to those of the English Lunacy Act, 1890, and also deals with criminal lunatics, and what are called "Governor's pleasure lunatics"-i.e., lunatics against whom a criminal charge has been made and who are detained in custody during the Governor's pleasure. Cattle Disease.-The Animals' Diseases Rinderpest Amendment Act, 1897 (No. 2), gives power to regulate the movements of persons and animals, and powers of entry for the purpose of inoculating cattle, and authorises the appointment of local rinderpest committees. The powers and functions of these committees are further defined by the Local Rinderpest Committees Powers Act, 1897 (c. 12). Cruelty to Animals.-The Cruelty to Animals Act, 1897 (No. 3), enables an officer of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to be appointed as a special constable, with limited powers for taking proceedings under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1888. Cattle Brand.-Under the Brands' Registration Act, 1890, there is a register of brands for horses, cattle, and ostriches. The Brands' Registration 'See Pacific Islanders Protection Acts, 1872 and 1875. 2 By Regulation No. 2 of 1898 a right of appeal to the High Commissioner is given against all orders made under the regulation of 1897. 3 The Session 60 Vict. ended in June 1897. Amendment Act, 1897 (No. 4), provides for registering brands for sheep and goats. Customs. The Customs Amendment Act, 1897 (No. 8), contains a long list of articles which are respectively subject to and exempt from Customs duties on importation into the colony. Public Debt. The Sinking Fund Commissioners Act, 1897 (No. 11), provides for the appointment of Commissioners for the reduction of public debt with duties corresponding generally to those of the National Debt Commissioners in England. Public Health. The Public Health Amendment Act, 1897 (No. 23), supplements the Public Health Act, 1883, and contains several important provisions. It requires urban authorities to make bylaws or regulations for the suppression of nuisances, for compelling residents to keep their premises free from offensive, infectious, or unwholesome matter, for protecting water from pollution, and for the regulation of slaughter houses, the inspection of imported meat, and the sale of unwholesome meat. If a local authority fail to make such regulations as in the opinion of the Minister are necessary for these purposes, the Governor may proclaim such regulations as he thinks necessary, and these are to have the force of law. If a local authority fail to carry out the regulations, the Governor may do so at the expense of the rates (ss. 7, 8). Urban authorities are empowered, but not required, to make regulations for a number of other matters relating to public health (s. 9). "In cases of urgent necessity arising from the prevalence or threatened outbreak of a contagious or infectious disease," the Minister may proclaim regulations which are to have the force of law until repealed or amended by the Governor (ss. 15, 16). There are provisions for the inspection of dairies in the case of suspected spread of infectious disease, and power to prohibit the supply of milk from suspected dairies in such cases. If it appears to the Governor that better provision for the prevention of the spread of infectious disease would be likely to result, and that action is urgently required, he may temporarily place any area within the local limits of the community under the Villages Management Act, 1881, under the jurisdiction of a divisional council, and transfer the powers of the village authority to the divisional council. The Act requires children to be vaccinated within three months after birth, but apparently does not specifically impose a penalty on the parent for failure to have his child vaccinated (ss. 39-43). A health officer may inspect a vessel and question persons on board whenever it appears to him to be necessary and advisable to do so for the purpose of ascertaining the existence of any cause of infection or contagion on board the vessel, and may after inspection either detain the vessel in quarantine or give her pratique. Port Elizabeth Municipal Corporation.-The Port Elizabeth Municipal Act, 1897 (No. 27), is an Act of 233 sections, which consolidates the law relating to the municipal corporation and government of Port Elizabeth, and would in England be treated as a local Act. It is a good specimen of a Colonial municipal Act. Native Territories.-The Transkei Territories Tembuland and Pondoland Laws Act, 1897 (No. 29), which has been reserved for Her Majesty's pleasure, appears to have been passed with reference to the case of Sprigg v. Sigcau (1897), A.C. 238, in which it was held on appeal from the Cape that a power for the Governor to add to the existing laws already proclaimed and in force in Pondoland such laws as he should from time to time by proclamation declare to be in force in those territories, did not authorise the issue of a proclamation for the arrest and imprisonment of a particular chief. It enables the Governor by proclamation to authorise the summary arrest and detention in such places and subject to such conditions as he may appoint of any persons whom he is satisfied to be dangerous to the public peace if left at large, but the person arrested may apply for his release to the Supreme Court. The Act also validates previous proclamations by the Governor, except that it is not to give validity to the proclamation whereunder in the year 1895 the Pondo Chief Sigcau was arrested and detained. 2. NATAL1 Acts passed-33. Immigration. The Immigration Restriction Act, 1897 (No. 1), prohibits the immigration into Natal by land or sea of any person described in the Act as a "prohibited immigrant." The persons so described are: (a) Any person who when asked to do so by an officer appointed under (b) Any person being a pauper or likely to become a public charge. (d) Any person suffering from a loathsome or dangerous contagious (e) Any person who not having received a free pardon has within two years been convicted of a felony or other infamous crime or misdemeanour involving moral turpitude, and not being a mere political offence. (f) Any prostitute and any person living on the prostitution of others. If a prohibited immigrant is found in the colony he may be removed from the colony, and on conviction be sentenced to six months' imprisonThe Fifth Session of the First Parliament ended in May 1897. |