RICE ORDINANCE

RICE ORDINANCE

CHAPTER 146.

RICE.

For the acquisition and disposal of rice by the Government.

[19th September, 1919.]

1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Rice Ordinance.

2. (1) The Governor may, at any time when he thinks fit, and in time
of peace as well as in time of war, order the seizure and taking
possession of any rice within the limits of the Colony, and may sell
such rice for consumption in the Colony.

(2) The Governor shall, out of the public funds of the Colony, pay
to every person whose rice is taken by virtue of subsection (i), such
compensation as may be agreed on between the Governor and such
person, and in default of agreement, such compensation as shall be
awarded by a board constituted as hereinafter mentioned whose
award shall be final.

(3) For the purpose of determining the amount of compensation
payable for any rice taken under subsection (i) the Governor shall
appoint a board consisting of five persons, of whom one shall be a
judge or magistrate, two shall be officers either in the Civil Governnient
of the Colony or in His Majesty's naval, military or air service, aiid the
other two shall be inhabitants of the Colony. All questions referred to
the said board shall in case of a difference of opinion be decided by the
votes of the majority of the members. The judge or magistrate shall be
the chairman of the board.

(4) The said board, in fixing the price to be paid for rice taken
tinder subsection (1), shall not make any addition on account of the
purchase being compulsory.

(5) Any person who refuses or neglects to obey or comply with
any order made under this section or does anything whereby the
execution of any such order is prevented or hindered, or with intent to
prevent or hinder the execution of any such order, shall be guilty of an
offence.





3. If any person, by obeying any order made under subsection (1)
Of section 2, is prevented from fulfilling any contract, such person shall
not be deemed to have thereby committed a breach of contract but
such contract shall be deemed to be cancelled so far as its fulfilment
may be prevented by any such order.

4. The total proceeds of all sales of rice for consumption in the
Colony shall not recoup to the Government more than the total cost of
purchasing the same together with the expenses incidental to such
purchase and sale.

5. The Governor may by proclamation prescribe prices for sale by
retail in any particular district in the Colony, being

(a)the price of rice of any particular standard Government
quality, as defined by section 6; or

(b)the maximum price of any particular quality of rice, other
than a standard Government quality,

and any person who in breach of any such proclamation sells any
such standard Government quality of rice at a price other than the
price so prescribed or sells any, such other quality of rice at a price
higher than the maximum price so prescribed shall be guilty of an
offence.

6. The qualities of rice for which a price is fixed in any particular
district of the Colony shall be determined by persons to be appointed
for the purpose by the Governor. Samples of the qualities so
determined shall be kept at all police stations aiid shall be open to
inspection. Such samples shall conform to scaled samples kept in the
offices of the Director of Commerce aiid Industry and the District
Commissioner, and such scaled samples shall be known as standard
Government qualities.

7. Any person who sells rice purporting to be of one of the
standard Government qualities which differs from such quality to the
prejudice of the purchaser shall be guilty of an offence.

8. Any person who sells any rice supplied by the Government
except under licence issued by an officer appointed by the Governor
for that purpose shall be guilty, of an offence.





9. No person who is authorized to sell rice supplied by the
Government shall mix one standard Government quality of such rice
with any other standard Government quality of such rice or with any
rice not supplied by the Government or with any foreign substance.

10. Ariv person authorized by the Governor in writing in that
behalf may enter upon and into any land, house or other building in the
Colony for the purpose of inspecting the stock of rice therein and of
taking samples thereof, and in case of opposition or obstruction rnay
use force to effect such entry aiid inspection, and shall not be liable for
any damage directly or indirectly occasioned by such forcible entry.

11. Any person who is guilty of an offence against this Ordinance
or of a breach of any of the provisions thereof shall upon summary
conviction be liable to a fine of five thousand dollars or to
imprisonment for six months, aiid any rice in connexion with which any
such offence has been committed shall be forfeited.

12. All powers given by this Ordinance shall be in addition to and
not in derogation of any other powers conferred by or under any
enactment, and all such powers may be exercised in the same manner
and by the same authority as if this Ordinance had not been inade.

13. It shall be lawful for the Legislative Council to pass a
resolution suspending the operation of this Ordinance or of any
section or sections thereof either for a definite period or until the
Legislative Council inakes a further resolution reviving the operation of
this Ordinance or of any section or sections thereof.
Originally 20 of 1919. Fraser 20 of 1919. 22 of 1950. Short title. Power to Governor to seize and sell rice. Payment of compensation. Board to fix compensation. No addition for compulsory purchase. Prohibition of non-compliance with order. Effect of direction or order on prior contracts. Prohibition of profit by Government on total proceeds of sales of rice. Power to Governor to fix retail price of rice and prohibition of sale except at such price. Determination of standard Government qualities of rice. Prohibition of selling rice of inferior quality. Prohibition of sale of Government rice. Prohibition against mixing rice with other qualities or with foreign substance. Power of entry and inspection and taking samples. Penalty. 22 of 1950, Schedule. Saving of other powers.

Originally 20 of 1919. Fraser 20 of 1919. 22 of 1950. Short title. Power to Governor to seize and sell rice. Payment of compensation. Board to fix compensation. No addition for compulsory purchase. Prohibition of non-compliance with order. Effect of direction or order on prior contracts. Prohibition of profit by Government on total proceeds of sales of rice. Power to Governor to fix retail price of rice and prohibition of sale except at such price. Determination of standard Government qualities of rice. Prohibition of selling rice of inferior quality. Prohibition of sale of Government rice. Prohibition against mixing rice with other qualities or with foreign substance. Power of entry and inspection and taking samples. Penalty. 22 of 1950, Schedule. Saving of other powers.

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