PEACE AND QUIET ORDINANCE
Title
PEACE AND QUIET ORDINANCE
Description
Ordinance No. 17 of 1844.
Registration of Inhabitants.
An Ordinance for the better securing the Peace and Quiet of
the Inhabitants of the Town of Victoria and its vicinity
during the night-time.
[11th September, 1844.]
WHEPEAS the inhabitants of Victoria and its vicinity have hereto
Yv been disturbed and annoyed during the night-time by various
loud and unnecessary noises made by private watchmen and other persons
to such au extent as to become a public nuisance, and it is expedient for
the comfort and tranquillity of the said inhabitants that the said public
nuisance should be sbrpressed and whereas it is manifest that such
watchmen or other person could from time to time during the night
notify their state of vigilance and convey to their respective masters and
employers that they are on the watch and alert, without occasioning any
disturbance or annoyance to the public or to the inhabitants of adjoining
ORDINANCE No. 17 ot~ 1844.
Peace and Quiet.
houses: -Be it therefore enacted and ordained by the Governor for the
time being of the Colony of Hongkong and its dependencies with the
advice of the Legislative Council thereof that from and after the
publication
o£ this Ordinance no person or persons whatsoever shall between sunset
and the hour of six in the following morning make or cause to be made
any noise or noises whatever calculated to disturb annoy or interfere with
the public tranquillity or the quiet of the occupier or inhabitant of any
dwelling-house within the said town of Victoria or its vicinity: And
that in case any person or persons shall make or cause to be made Any,
such noise or noises as aforesaid it shall and may be lawful for any such
occupier or inhabitant or for any officer charged with the preservation of
the peace or any constable or policeman or other person to summon the
party so offending before any- Police Magistrate to whom it shall and may
be lawful on due investigation and proof of the party having offended
against the provisions aforesaid, to proceed against and in a summary
manner to fine the party so offending in any sum not exceeding ten dollars
and in default of payment to commit the said party to prison for any,
period of time not exceeding one calendar month. .
2. And be it further enacted and ordained that if on any such
investigation or proof as aforesaid it shall appear to the said presiding
Magistrate that the party so offending acted as watchman or servant of
the proprietor or occupier of any dwelling-house warehouse or other
out-house office or premises or of the inhabitant person or persons in
charge thereof, or by or with the direction knowledge sanction sufferance
or permission of such proprietor or occupier or of such inhabitant or
person
in charge as. aforesaid then and in such case it shall and may be lawful
to and for such Magistrate to dismiss the charge as against the watch-
man or servant or person acting as such so offending as aforesaid and to
summon or cause to be summoned forthwith before him the proprietor or
occupier inhabitant or person in charge thereof as aforesaid having so
directed, sanctioned suffered or permitted the making such noise or noises
as aforesaid, and on due investigation and proof that any such occupier
or proprietor inhabitant or person in charge as aforesaid directed
sanctioned
suffered or permitted the making of the said noise or noises so made by
the watchman or servant or person acting as such as aforesaid, then it
shall and may be lawful to and for such presiding Magistrate to fine such
proprietor or occupier or inhabitant or person in charge as aforesaid in -
any sum not exceeding fifty dollars and in default of payment to levy the
No person to
make noise or
disturbance
between sun-
set and six in
the morning.
Watchmen or
servants
obeying
orders not to
be held re-
sponsible.
ORDINANCE No. 17 of 1884.
Peace and Quiet.
same by distress and sale of the goods and chattels of such proprietor or
occupier or inhabitant or person in charge as aforesaid by virtue of a
warrant
in writing under his hand to be issued for tblt purpose, and in case of
the
offender not having sufficient goods and chattels within the' Colony of
Hongkong whereon to levy the said fine together with all costs and charges
consequent thereon it shall and may be lawful, for the said Magistrate to
commit such offender to prison for any period of time not exceeding one
calendar month.
R 3. And be it further enacted and ordained that when so often as
any such noise or noises as aforesaid shall be made in or upon any
dwelling-house or premises if it shall be impracticable or difficult to
apprehend discover or identify the person or persons so making such noise
or noises as aforesaid then and in such case it shall and may be lawful to
and for such Magistrate upon inform ation.thereof to summon before him
the proprietor or occupier or inhabitant or person in charge of such
dwelling-
house or premises and if it shall appear on due investigation and proof
that such noise or noises as aforesaid was or were made in or upon the
said dwelling-house or premises by the direction or with the know ledge
sanction sufferance or permission of the owner occupier inhabitant or
person in charge thereof, to impose on him such and the like penalty as
is lastly hereinbefore provided, the said penalty to be recovered in the
same manner as is also lastly hereinbefore provided.
98
Title.
Preamble.
No person to make noise or disturbance between sunset and six in the morning.
Watchmen or servants obeying orders not to be held responsible.
100
Proprietor occupier or inhabitant of any house to be summoned
in case of not being able to apprehend offender.
Registration of Inhabitants.
An Ordinance for the better securing the Peace and Quiet of
the Inhabitants of the Town of Victoria and its vicinity
during the night-time.
[11th September, 1844.]
WHEPEAS the inhabitants of Victoria and its vicinity have hereto
Yv been disturbed and annoyed during the night-time by various
loud and unnecessary noises made by private watchmen and other persons
to such au extent as to become a public nuisance, and it is expedient for
the comfort and tranquillity of the said inhabitants that the said public
nuisance should be sbrpressed and whereas it is manifest that such
watchmen or other person could from time to time during the night
notify their state of vigilance and convey to their respective masters and
employers that they are on the watch and alert, without occasioning any
disturbance or annoyance to the public or to the inhabitants of adjoining
ORDINANCE No. 17 ot~ 1844.
Peace and Quiet.
houses: -Be it therefore enacted and ordained by the Governor for the
time being of the Colony of Hongkong and its dependencies with the
advice of the Legislative Council thereof that from and after the
publication
o£ this Ordinance no person or persons whatsoever shall between sunset
and the hour of six in the following morning make or cause to be made
any noise or noises whatever calculated to disturb annoy or interfere with
the public tranquillity or the quiet of the occupier or inhabitant of any
dwelling-house within the said town of Victoria or its vicinity: And
that in case any person or persons shall make or cause to be made Any,
such noise or noises as aforesaid it shall and may be lawful for any such
occupier or inhabitant or for any officer charged with the preservation of
the peace or any constable or policeman or other person to summon the
party so offending before any- Police Magistrate to whom it shall and may
be lawful on due investigation and proof of the party having offended
against the provisions aforesaid, to proceed against and in a summary
manner to fine the party so offending in any sum not exceeding ten dollars
and in default of payment to commit the said party to prison for any,
period of time not exceeding one calendar month. .
2. And be it further enacted and ordained that if on any such
investigation or proof as aforesaid it shall appear to the said presiding
Magistrate that the party so offending acted as watchman or servant of
the proprietor or occupier of any dwelling-house warehouse or other
out-house office or premises or of the inhabitant person or persons in
charge thereof, or by or with the direction knowledge sanction sufferance
or permission of such proprietor or occupier or of such inhabitant or
person
in charge as. aforesaid then and in such case it shall and may be lawful
to and for such Magistrate to dismiss the charge as against the watch-
man or servant or person acting as such so offending as aforesaid and to
summon or cause to be summoned forthwith before him the proprietor or
occupier inhabitant or person in charge thereof as aforesaid having so
directed, sanctioned suffered or permitted the making such noise or noises
as aforesaid, and on due investigation and proof that any such occupier
or proprietor inhabitant or person in charge as aforesaid directed
sanctioned
suffered or permitted the making of the said noise or noises so made by
the watchman or servant or person acting as such as aforesaid, then it
shall and may be lawful to and for such presiding Magistrate to fine such
proprietor or occupier or inhabitant or person in charge as aforesaid in -
any sum not exceeding fifty dollars and in default of payment to levy the
No person to
make noise or
disturbance
between sun-
set and six in
the morning.
Watchmen or
servants
obeying
orders not to
be held re-
sponsible.
ORDINANCE No. 17 of 1884.
Peace and Quiet.
same by distress and sale of the goods and chattels of such proprietor or
occupier or inhabitant or person in charge as aforesaid by virtue of a
warrant
in writing under his hand to be issued for tblt purpose, and in case of
the
offender not having sufficient goods and chattels within the' Colony of
Hongkong whereon to levy the said fine together with all costs and charges
consequent thereon it shall and may be lawful, for the said Magistrate to
commit such offender to prison for any period of time not exceeding one
calendar month.
R 3. And be it further enacted and ordained that when so often as
any such noise or noises as aforesaid shall be made in or upon any
dwelling-house or premises if it shall be impracticable or difficult to
apprehend discover or identify the person or persons so making such noise
or noises as aforesaid then and in such case it shall and may be lawful to
and for such Magistrate upon inform ation.thereof to summon before him
the proprietor or occupier or inhabitant or person in charge of such
dwelling-
house or premises and if it shall appear on due investigation and proof
that such noise or noises as aforesaid was or were made in or upon the
said dwelling-house or premises by the direction or with the know ledge
sanction sufferance or permission of the owner occupier inhabitant or
person in charge thereof, to impose on him such and the like penalty as
is lastly hereinbefore provided, the said penalty to be recovered in the
same manner as is also lastly hereinbefore provided.
98
Title.
Preamble.
No person to make noise or disturbance between sunset and six in the morning.
Watchmen or servants obeying orders not to be held responsible.
100
Proprietor occupier or inhabitant of any house to be summoned
in case of not being able to apprehend offender.
Abstract
98
Title.
Preamble.
No person to make noise or disturbance between sunset and six in the morning.
Watchmen or servants obeying orders not to be held responsible.
100
Proprietor occupier or inhabitant of any house to be summoned
in case of not being able to apprehend offender.
Title.
Preamble.
No person to make noise or disturbance between sunset and six in the morning.
Watchmen or servants obeying orders not to be held responsible.
100
Proprietor occupier or inhabitant of any house to be summoned
in case of not being able to apprehend offender.
Identifier
https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/21
Edition
1890
Volume
v1
Cap / Ordinance No.
No. 17 of 1844
Number of Pages
3
Files
Collection
Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online
Citation
“PEACE AND QUIET ORDINANCE,” Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online, accessed January 4, 2025, https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/21.
