TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND.

73

A.—No. Ia

16. Any British vessel which shall upon reasonable grounds be suspected: (1.) Of being employed in the commission of any of the offences enumerated in the ninth section of this Act; or (2.) Of having been fitted out for such employment; or (3.) Of having during the voyage on which such vessel is met been employed in the commission of any such offence, may be detained, seized, and brought in for adjudication upon the charge of being or having been so employed or fitted out as aforesaid before any Vice-Admiralty Court in any of Her Majesty's dominions by any of the following officers ; that is to say : — (1.) Any officer of Customs or public officer in any British possession, subject nevertheless to any special or general instructions from the Governor or officer administering the government of such possession : (2.) Any commissioned officer on full pay in the military service of the Crown, subject nevertheless to any special or general instructions from his commanding officer : (3.) Any commissioned officer on full pay in the naval service of the Crown, subject nevertheless to any special or general instructions from the Admiralty or his superior officer : (4.) Any Consul or Consular Agent appointed by Her Majesty to reside in any island not within the jurisdiction of any civilized power. 17. Any officer authorized to seize or detain any vessel in respect of any offence against this Act may, for the purpose of enforcing such seizure or detention, call to his aid any constable or officers of police, or any officers of Her Majesty's army or navy, or marines, or any excise officers or officers of Customs, or any harbour master or dock master, or any officers having authority by law to make seizures of vessels, and may put on board any vessel so seized or detained any one or more of such officers to take charge of the same and to enforce the provisions of this Act, and any officer seizing or detaining any vessel under this Act may use force, if necessary, for the purpose of enforcing seizure or detention. 18. The Vice-Admiralty Court before which any vessel is so brought for adjudication shall have full power and authority to take cognizance of, and try the charge upon which such vessel is brought in, and may on proof thereof condemn the vessel and cargo, or either, as the case may be, as forfeited to Her Majesty, or may order such vessel and cargo, or either of them, to be restored with or without costs and damages, as to the Court shall seem fit; and in any such proceedings the said Court shall have such powers to issue commissions for the examination of witnesses, and to give directions in respect thereof, as are hereinbefore vested in the Supreme Courts of the Australasian Colonies; and the said Court shall, in addition to any power given to it by this Act, have in respect of any vessel or other matter brought before it in pursuance of this Act, all powers which it has in the case of a vessel or matter brought before it in the exercise of its ordinary jurisdiction. 19. When any detention or seizure shall be made under this Act, and proceedings instituted in any Vice-Admiralty Court in respect of such detention or seizure, it shall be lawful for the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, if to their discretion it shall seem meet, to direct payment to be made of the whole or any part of the costs, damages, and expenses which may be incurred in such proceedings. 20. Subject to the provisions of this Act providing for the award of damages in certain cases in respect of the seizure or detention of a vessel by the Vice-Admiralty Court, no damages shall be payable, and no officer or local authority shall be responsible, either civilly or criminally, in respect of the seizure or detention of any vessel in pursuance of this Act. 21. This Act shall be proclaimed in the several Australasian Colonies by the respective Governors thereof, within six weeks after a copy of such Act shall have been received by such Governors respectively, and shall take effect in the several colonies from the day of such Proclamation. 22. Nothing in this Act contained shall be taken to affect the powers vested in the Supreme Courts of New South Wales and Tasmania under the Act 9 Geo. IV. c. 83.

SCHEDULES. Schedule A. Foem of Bond to be entered into by Masters of Vessels under "The Kidnapping Act, 1872." Know all men by these presents, that we A.JB. of and CD. of are held and firmly bound unto our Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Eaith, in the sum of five hundred pounds of good and lawful money of Great Britain, to be paid to our said Sovereign Lady the Queen, her heirs and successors, to which payment, well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves and every of us, jointly and severally, for and in the whole, our heirs, executors, administrators, and every of them, firmly by these presents. Sealed with our seals. Dated this day of 187 . "Whereas it is enacted by " The Kidnapping Act, 1872," that no British vessel shall carry native labourers of islands in the Pacific Ocean not being within the jurisdiction of any civilized power unless the master of such vessel, together with one sufficient surety to be approved by the Governor of one of Her Majesty's Australasian Colonies, or by a British consular officer, or by any person appointed for the purpose by either of those officers, shall have given to Her Majesty, her heirs and successors, a bond in the sum of five hundred pounds for the prevention of kidnapping, and for the due observance of the requirements of the said Act and of the license which the said master is thereby required to obtain. Now the condition of this obligation is this, that if in respect of the vessel , whereof the above bounden A.B. is master, all and every the requirements of the said Act and of the license issued thereunder to the said master shall be well and truly performed, and if the above bounden A.B. shall satisfy the Governor of any of Her Majesty's Australasian Colonies, or the Britisli consular officer