WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCE, 1885
Title
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCE, 1885
Description
No. 2 of 1885.
To make provision with respect to Weights and Measures.
[1st April, I885.]
1. The Weights and Measures Ordinance, 1885.
2-(1) The Governor shall cause to be deposited and safely
kept in the Treasury such weights and measures of the standards
in use in the United Kingdom and of such Chinese weights and
measures as are specified in the schedule, and the weights and
measures so deposited shall be the standard weights and measures
of this Colony.
(2) The Governor shall cause to be made, copies and models of
the several weights and nicasures so deposited, and such copies
and models shall be submitted to the Treasurer, who shall cause
the same to be verified, and, if approved, stamped or marked in
such manner as the Treasurer may determine to show that the
same have been verified and approved.
(3) Copies and models, after being so verified and approved,
shall be deposited with the Magistrates, who shall keep the same
for the purposes of reference as hereinafter directed.
(4) If any copies or models so deposited are lost, destroyed,
defaced, or injured, they shall be replaced by others of the same
weight or measurc duly verifted and approved.
3.-(1) Any person wishing to compare any weight or measure
with the copy or model deposited with a Magistrate shall be allowed
access thereto at reasonable times to be appointed by the
Magistrate.
(2) The comparison shall be made in the Magistrate's presence,
and the Magistrate, on being satisfied that the weight or measure
brought for comparison corresponds truly to the copy or model,
shall stamp or make the same in such manner as the Tresurer
may determine to show that the same has been compared and
approved.
(3) Such person shall defray all expenses of conveying his
weight or measure to or from the Police Court, or shall deposit
with the examiner on dollar if such weight or measure is on shore,
or 2 dollars if it is on board a ship in the habour, to defray such
expenses.
4. The Governor shall appoint proper persons to be examiners
of weights and measures, and may at pleasure remove any person
so appointed.
5. It shall be the duty of an examiner of weights and measures
to enter the business premises of any person who sells goods by
weight or measure to or from the Police Court, or shall deposit
balance, steelyard, weight-yard, or or weighting-machine, found on
such premises, and to seize any weight, measure, scale, balance,
steelyeard, weighting-yard, or weighting-machine which appears to
him to be false or unjust.
6. Every person who-
(1) falsifies or wilfully injures and any copy or model of a standard
weight or measure deposited with a Magistrate; or
(2) uses, or has in his possession for use, any weight, measure,
scale, balance, steelyard, weighting-yard, or weighting-machine
which is false or unjust,
shall, on summary conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 200
dollars for each offence, in addition to any other penalty or liability
to which such person may be subject in respect of such offence.
7. Where any fraud is wilfully committed in using any weight,
measure, scale, balance, steelyard, weighting-yard, or weighting-
machine, the person committing such fraud, and every person
party to the fraud, shall, on summary conviction, be liable to a
fine not exceeding 200 dollars for each offence, and further, the
weight, measure, scale, balance, steelyard, weighting-yard, or
weighing-machine shall be liable to be forfeited.
8. If any person shall wilfully or knowingly make or sell, or cause
to be made or sold, any false or unjust weight, meausre, scale,
balance, steelyard, weighting-yard, or weighting-machine, he shall
be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding 200
dollars, or, in the case of a second or any subsequent offence, to
a fine not exceeding 500 dollars.
9. All weights and measures duly seized by an examiner of
weights and measures shall be forfeited to the Crown.
10. Nothing in this Ordinance shall apply to the buying or selling
or dealing in medicines, or precious metals, or precious stones,
or to weights or measures employed in relation thereto.
SCHEDULE. [S. 2.]
TABLE OF ENGLISH WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
Weights. Measures of Length.
Avoirdupois. Troy. 1 Yard, divided into feet and inches.
4 Ounces. 1/10 Ounce.
8 do 2/10 do. Measures of Capacity.
1 Pound. 3/10 do. 1 Half Gill. 1 Half Gallon.
2 Pound. 5/10 do. 1 Gill. 1 Gallon.
4 do. 1 do. 1 Half Pint. 1 Peck.
7 do. 2 Ounce. 1 Pint. 1 Half Bushel.
14 do. 1 Quart. 1 Bushel.
28 do. The contents of each measure to be
56 do. not heaped, but flat and level with
the rim of the vessel.
and the following: 2, 3, 4, 5, taels; 10, 17, 20, 30, 40, 50, taels; 100,
200, 300, 400, 500, 700, taels.
measures of length.
1. Chek (foot) equal to 14 5/8 English inches , divided into 10 tsun or
inches , and each inch into 10 fan or tenths.
GENERAL.
Measures of length , if made of wood or bamboo , shall (except yard
measures imported from the United Kingdom ) be tipped at the ends
with metal to the satisfaction of the examiner of weights and
measures , or , in case of doubt, of a Magistrate , whose decision shall
be final.
Short title. Deposit of standard weights and measures in Treasury, and of copies and models with Magistrates. Verification of weight or measure with copy or model. Examiners of weights and measures. Duty and powers of examiner. Falsifying weight, measure, etc. Penalty for fraud in use of weight, measure, etc. Penalty on sale of false weight, measure, etc. Forfeiture of weights and measures. Saving as to weights or measures for dealing in medicines, etc.
To make provision with respect to Weights and Measures.
[1st April, I885.]
1. The Weights and Measures Ordinance, 1885.
2-(1) The Governor shall cause to be deposited and safely
kept in the Treasury such weights and measures of the standards
in use in the United Kingdom and of such Chinese weights and
measures as are specified in the schedule, and the weights and
measures so deposited shall be the standard weights and measures
of this Colony.
(2) The Governor shall cause to be made, copies and models of
the several weights and nicasures so deposited, and such copies
and models shall be submitted to the Treasurer, who shall cause
the same to be verified, and, if approved, stamped or marked in
such manner as the Treasurer may determine to show that the
same have been verified and approved.
(3) Copies and models, after being so verified and approved,
shall be deposited with the Magistrates, who shall keep the same
for the purposes of reference as hereinafter directed.
(4) If any copies or models so deposited are lost, destroyed,
defaced, or injured, they shall be replaced by others of the same
weight or measurc duly verifted and approved.
3.-(1) Any person wishing to compare any weight or measure
with the copy or model deposited with a Magistrate shall be allowed
access thereto at reasonable times to be appointed by the
Magistrate.
(2) The comparison shall be made in the Magistrate's presence,
and the Magistrate, on being satisfied that the weight or measure
brought for comparison corresponds truly to the copy or model,
shall stamp or make the same in such manner as the Tresurer
may determine to show that the same has been compared and
approved.
(3) Such person shall defray all expenses of conveying his
weight or measure to or from the Police Court, or shall deposit
with the examiner on dollar if such weight or measure is on shore,
or 2 dollars if it is on board a ship in the habour, to defray such
expenses.
4. The Governor shall appoint proper persons to be examiners
of weights and measures, and may at pleasure remove any person
so appointed.
5. It shall be the duty of an examiner of weights and measures
to enter the business premises of any person who sells goods by
weight or measure to or from the Police Court, or shall deposit
balance, steelyard, weight-yard, or or weighting-machine, found on
such premises, and to seize any weight, measure, scale, balance,
steelyeard, weighting-yard, or weighting-machine which appears to
him to be false or unjust.
6. Every person who-
(1) falsifies or wilfully injures and any copy or model of a standard
weight or measure deposited with a Magistrate; or
(2) uses, or has in his possession for use, any weight, measure,
scale, balance, steelyard, weighting-yard, or weighting-machine
which is false or unjust,
shall, on summary conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 200
dollars for each offence, in addition to any other penalty or liability
to which such person may be subject in respect of such offence.
7. Where any fraud is wilfully committed in using any weight,
measure, scale, balance, steelyard, weighting-yard, or weighting-
machine, the person committing such fraud, and every person
party to the fraud, shall, on summary conviction, be liable to a
fine not exceeding 200 dollars for each offence, and further, the
weight, measure, scale, balance, steelyard, weighting-yard, or
weighing-machine shall be liable to be forfeited.
8. If any person shall wilfully or knowingly make or sell, or cause
to be made or sold, any false or unjust weight, meausre, scale,
balance, steelyard, weighting-yard, or weighting-machine, he shall
be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding 200
dollars, or, in the case of a second or any subsequent offence, to
a fine not exceeding 500 dollars.
9. All weights and measures duly seized by an examiner of
weights and measures shall be forfeited to the Crown.
10. Nothing in this Ordinance shall apply to the buying or selling
or dealing in medicines, or precious metals, or precious stones,
or to weights or measures employed in relation thereto.
SCHEDULE. [S. 2.]
TABLE OF ENGLISH WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
Weights. Measures of Length.
Avoirdupois. Troy. 1 Yard, divided into feet and inches.
4 Ounces. 1/10 Ounce.
8 do 2/10 do. Measures of Capacity.
1 Pound. 3/10 do. 1 Half Gill. 1 Half Gallon.
2 Pound. 5/10 do. 1 Gill. 1 Gallon.
4 do. 1 do. 1 Half Pint. 1 Peck.
7 do. 2 Ounce. 1 Pint. 1 Half Bushel.
14 do. 1 Quart. 1 Bushel.
28 do. The contents of each measure to be
56 do. not heaped, but flat and level with
the rim of the vessel.
and the following: 2, 3, 4, 5, taels; 10, 17, 20, 30, 40, 50, taels; 100,
200, 300, 400, 500, 700, taels.
measures of length.
1. Chek (foot) equal to 14 5/8 English inches , divided into 10 tsun or
inches , and each inch into 10 fan or tenths.
GENERAL.
Measures of length , if made of wood or bamboo , shall (except yard
measures imported from the United Kingdom ) be tipped at the ends
with metal to the satisfaction of the examiner of weights and
measures , or , in case of doubt, of a Magistrate , whose decision shall
be final.
Short title. Deposit of standard weights and measures in Treasury, and of copies and models with Magistrates. Verification of weight or measure with copy or model. Examiners of weights and measures. Duty and powers of examiner. Falsifying weight, measure, etc. Penalty for fraud in use of weight, measure, etc. Penalty on sale of false weight, measure, etc. Forfeiture of weights and measures. Saving as to weights or measures for dealing in medicines, etc.
Abstract
Short title. Deposit of standard weights and measures in Treasury, and of copies and models with Magistrates. Verification of weight or measure with copy or model. Examiners of weights and measures. Duty and powers of examiner. Falsifying weight, measure, etc. Penalty for fraud in use of weight, measure, etc. Penalty on sale of false weight, measure, etc. Forfeiture of weights and measures. Saving as to weights or measures for dealing in medicines, etc.
Identifier
https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/814
Edition
1912
Volume
v1
Subsequent Cap No.
68
Cap / Ordinance No.
No. 2 of 1885
Number of Pages
4
Files
Collection
Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online
Citation
“WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCE, 1885,” Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online, accessed January 22, 2025, https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/814.