FIRE BRIGADE ORDINANCE, 1868
Title
FIRE BRIGADE ORDINANCE, 1868
Description
ORDINANCE No.2 OF 1868.
Fire Brigade Ordinance, 1868.
AN ORDINANCE for the Establishment of a Fire Brigade.
[23rd May, 1868.]
WHEREAS it is expedient ot make further provision for the pro-
tection of life and property from fire within the Colony:
BE it therefore enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice
of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:-
1. this Ordinance may be cited as the Fire Brigade Ordinance, 1868.
2. It shall be lawful for the governor to select from the Polcie and
any othrs volunteering for the duty a force to who, shall be entrusted
they duty of extinguishing fires and protecting life and property in case
of fire within this Colony, and to furnish the said force with such fire-
engines, horses, accoutrements, tools, and implements as may be neces-
sary for the complete equipment of the said force or conducive to the
efficient performance of their duties.
3.-(1) the force of firemen established under this Ordinance shall be
called 'The Hongkong Fire Brigade', and shall be under the command
of an officer to be called 'the Superintendent of the Hongkong Fire
Brigade'.
(2) the Superintendent and men composing the said Brigade shall be
appointed and removed at the pleasure of the Governor.
4. The Governor-in-council shall from time to time fix the amount
of salaries and wokring-pay to be payable to members of the Fire Birgade,
and may also make regualtions fixing the amount of compensation to be
made to them in case of accident or to their wives or families in case of
their death, and likewise the grantuities to be paid to persons giving
notices of fires, and those to be from time to time awarded to any mem-
ber of the said Bridgade or to any other person for extraordinary ser-
vices performed in cases of firm; and the Governor is hereby authorized
to make all payments so ordered by the Governor-in-Council out of any
moneys belonging to the Colony.
5. The Governor-in-Council may make regulations for the traing,
discipline, and good conduct of the member s of the Fire Brigade, for
their speedy attendancewith engines and all necessary implements on
the occasion of any alarm of fire, and generally for the maintenance
in a due state of efficiency of the said Bridgae, and may annex to any
breach of such regulations penalties not exceeding in amount twenty-
five dollars.
6.-(1) On the occasion of a fire, the Superintendent of other officer
in charge of the Fire Brigagde may, in his discretion, take the command
of any volunteer fire brigade or other persons who voluntarily plcae their
services at his disposal, and may remove or order any firemen to remove
any persons interfering by their presence with the operations of the said Brigade, and generally may take such measures as may appera expedient
for the protection of life and property, and may, by himself or by his
men, break into or thoruhg and take possession of, or blow up with
gunpowder or pull down, any premises for the purpose of putting an end
to a fire.
(2) The Superintendent of the said Brigade or other officer in charge
thereof may close any street in or near which a fire is burning and may
remove any persons who interfere by their presence with the operations
of the said Brigade.
(3) Any officer or member of the said Brigade acting bona fide under
this Ordinance and the powers hereby conferred shall not be liable to any
action for damages for any act done under this section.
(4) any damage occasioned by the said Brigade in the execution of
their duties shall be deemed to be damage by fire within the meaning of
any policy of insurance against fire.
7. Every person who is required by the Superintendent or officer for
the time being in charge of the Fire Brigade to co-operate with any
Fire Brigade, whether consisting of volunteers or not, so that the same
are approved by the Governor, or in the working of any fire engine, or in
the suppression of fire shall be bound to obey such requisition, under
a penalty, for every case of disobedience, not exceeding fifty dollars.
8. All offences under this Ordinance shall be triable before a Police
Magistrate, who shall have power to enforce all penalties hereby im-
posed or which may be imposed by any order of the Governor-in-Council.
A.D. 1868. Ordinance No. 4 of 1868, with Ordinance No. 9 of 1857 s. 8, as am. By No. 5 of 1880 s. 1, incorporated. Short title. Selection and equipment of Fire Brigade. Constitution of Fire Brigade. Fixing of salaries, etc., of members of Fire Brigade. Making of regulations for Fire Brigade. Powers of Superintendent, officers, and members of Fire Brigade. Power to require persons to cooperate with Fire Brigade. Trial of offences.
Fire Brigade Ordinance, 1868.
AN ORDINANCE for the Establishment of a Fire Brigade.
[23rd May, 1868.]
WHEREAS it is expedient ot make further provision for the pro-
tection of life and property from fire within the Colony:
BE it therefore enacted by the Governor of Hongkong, with the advice
of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:-
1. this Ordinance may be cited as the Fire Brigade Ordinance, 1868.
2. It shall be lawful for the governor to select from the Polcie and
any othrs volunteering for the duty a force to who, shall be entrusted
they duty of extinguishing fires and protecting life and property in case
of fire within this Colony, and to furnish the said force with such fire-
engines, horses, accoutrements, tools, and implements as may be neces-
sary for the complete equipment of the said force or conducive to the
efficient performance of their duties.
3.-(1) the force of firemen established under this Ordinance shall be
called 'The Hongkong Fire Brigade', and shall be under the command
of an officer to be called 'the Superintendent of the Hongkong Fire
Brigade'.
(2) the Superintendent and men composing the said Brigade shall be
appointed and removed at the pleasure of the Governor.
4. The Governor-in-council shall from time to time fix the amount
of salaries and wokring-pay to be payable to members of the Fire Birgade,
and may also make regualtions fixing the amount of compensation to be
made to them in case of accident or to their wives or families in case of
their death, and likewise the grantuities to be paid to persons giving
notices of fires, and those to be from time to time awarded to any mem-
ber of the said Bridgade or to any other person for extraordinary ser-
vices performed in cases of firm; and the Governor is hereby authorized
to make all payments so ordered by the Governor-in-Council out of any
moneys belonging to the Colony.
5. The Governor-in-Council may make regulations for the traing,
discipline, and good conduct of the member s of the Fire Brigade, for
their speedy attendancewith engines and all necessary implements on
the occasion of any alarm of fire, and generally for the maintenance
in a due state of efficiency of the said Bridgae, and may annex to any
breach of such regulations penalties not exceeding in amount twenty-
five dollars.
6.-(1) On the occasion of a fire, the Superintendent of other officer
in charge of the Fire Brigagde may, in his discretion, take the command
of any volunteer fire brigade or other persons who voluntarily plcae their
services at his disposal, and may remove or order any firemen to remove
any persons interfering by their presence with the operations of the said Brigade, and generally may take such measures as may appera expedient
for the protection of life and property, and may, by himself or by his
men, break into or thoruhg and take possession of, or blow up with
gunpowder or pull down, any premises for the purpose of putting an end
to a fire.
(2) The Superintendent of the said Brigade or other officer in charge
thereof may close any street in or near which a fire is burning and may
remove any persons who interfere by their presence with the operations
of the said Brigade.
(3) Any officer or member of the said Brigade acting bona fide under
this Ordinance and the powers hereby conferred shall not be liable to any
action for damages for any act done under this section.
(4) any damage occasioned by the said Brigade in the execution of
their duties shall be deemed to be damage by fire within the meaning of
any policy of insurance against fire.
7. Every person who is required by the Superintendent or officer for
the time being in charge of the Fire Brigade to co-operate with any
Fire Brigade, whether consisting of volunteers or not, so that the same
are approved by the Governor, or in the working of any fire engine, or in
the suppression of fire shall be bound to obey such requisition, under
a penalty, for every case of disobedience, not exceeding fifty dollars.
8. All offences under this Ordinance shall be triable before a Police
Magistrate, who shall have power to enforce all penalties hereby im-
posed or which may be imposed by any order of the Governor-in-Council.
A.D. 1868. Ordinance No. 4 of 1868, with Ordinance No. 9 of 1857 s. 8, as am. By No. 5 of 1880 s. 1, incorporated. Short title. Selection and equipment of Fire Brigade. Constitution of Fire Brigade. Fixing of salaries, etc., of members of Fire Brigade. Making of regulations for Fire Brigade. Powers of Superintendent, officers, and members of Fire Brigade. Power to require persons to cooperate with Fire Brigade. Trial of offences.
Abstract
A.D. 1868. Ordinance No. 4 of 1868, with Ordinance No. 9 of 1857 s. 8, as am. By No. 5 of 1880 s. 1, incorporated. Short title. Selection and equipment of Fire Brigade. Constitution of Fire Brigade. Fixing of salaries, etc., of members of Fire Brigade. Making of regulations for Fire Brigade. Powers of Superintendent, officers, and members of Fire Brigade. Power to require persons to cooperate with Fire Brigade. Trial of offences.
Identifier
https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/574
Edition
1901
Volume
v1
Subsequent Cap No.
95
Cap / Ordinance No.
No. 2 of 1868
Number of Pages
3
Files
Collection
Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online
Citation
“FIRE BRIGADE ORDINANCE, 1868,” Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online, accessed January 23, 2025, https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/574.