622 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Mabch 1, 1904. 
PREVENTION OF THEFIS OF CACAO. 
THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. 
The draft of n proposed Ordinance to pre- 
vent thefts of cacao is published in the 
Gazette. We quote the main provisions 
in full and only headings of the other sec- 
tions from which our readers will be able to 
gather the whole purport of the Ordinance :— 
The Draft of a proposed Ordinanoe to prevent 
Thefts of Cacao. Pnrcliase of cacao by unlicensed 
person i^roliibibed. Power of Government Agent 
to issue licenses to deal in cacao. Power of Go- 
vernment with regard to refusal to issue license 
&c. Duty of licensed dealers in cacao to paint 
words " Licensed Dealer in Cacao" on licensed 
premises. 
(1) Two or more persons carrying on business in 
partnership shall not be obliged to obtain more 
than one license in respect of the same premises. A 
license to two or more persons shall not be deter- 
mined by the death or retirement from business 
of any one or more of the partners. 
(2) No license shall be assignable or shall autho- 
rise any person to deal in cacao by reason of his 
being executor or administrator of any person to 
whom such license has been granted. 
(1) It shall be unlawful— 
•(a) For any person to offer tor sale or to deliver, 
or for any licensed dealer to purchasi or to take 
delivery of, any cacao except between sunrise and 
sunset, or at any place other than licensed 
premises ; or 
(b) For any licensed dealer to purchase or to 
take delivery of cacao from any person who is not 
personally known to him; or from any person whom 
he knows or has reasonable grounds for believing 
ii under the age of twelve years ; or 
(c) For any licensed dealer to purchase or take 
delivery of wet cacao from any person whatsoever. 
(2) Any person who does any act in contraven- 
tion of this section shall be guilty of an offence 
against this Ordinance. 
Any person, not being a licensed dealer, who, 
when offering any cacao for sale, lefuses to answer 
or answer falsely any question which may be put 
to him by any licensed dealer, or by any person 
acting for a licensed dealer, for the purpose of 
ascertaining his name and place of abode and the 
description and situation of the land of which such 
cacao is the produce, shall be guilty of an offence, 
and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not ex- 
ceeding RlOO or to simple or rigorous imprisonment 
which may extend to two months. 
(3) Every licensed dealer shall keep on the pre- 
mises at which he is authorised to deal in cacao a 
book which shall be supplied to him by the Govern- 
ment Agent, and shall enter therein, immediately 
upon or within two hours after the delivery at his 
licensed premises of any cacao purchased by him 
in the form marked B in the schedule hereto, or in 
such other form as the Governor may prescribe, 
the following particulars, namely : 
(1) The day, month, and year of such delivery. 
(2) The weight of cacao delivered. 
(.3) The name and residence of the person from 
whom the cacao was purchased. 
(4) The price paid for the cacao. 
(5) Where the person from whom the cacao is 
purchased is not a licensed de iler, the description 
and situation of the lands of which such cacao is or 
is alleged to be the produce. 
Whenever any cacao which has not been 
purchased is broaght into any licensed premises, 
whether the same is or is not the produce of land 
in the possession or occupation of the licensed 
dealer, the licensed dealer shall forthwith enter in 
the said book in the form Cin the schedule he>eto, 
or in such other form as may be prescribed for the 
purpose the following particulais with regard to 
such cacao, namely : 
(1) The day, month, and year when the cacao 
was brought into the licensed premises, 
(2) The weight of snch cacao, 
(3) The manner in which thecacao was acquired, 
and, if grown on land in the possession or occupa- 
tion of the licensed dealer, the description and 
situation of such land. 
Inspection of licensed premises. Responsibilities 
of partners Endorsement of conviction on license. 
Duty of licensed dealer to keep scales on licensed 
premises. Vv'here discrepancy is between weight of 
cacao in licensed premises and weight according to 
books. Where inspecting officer is refused admit- 
tance. 
Whenever the licensed dealer removes any 
cacao from his licensed premises, whether the same 
has been acquired by purchase or otherwise, the 
licensed dealer shall forthwith enter in the said 
book or books the date when the same was removed 
and the name and residence of the person to whofn 
the same was delivered. 
(1) Any person who is found in possession or 
charge of any wet cacoa which is suspected to have 
been stolen, may be charged with being in poss- 
ession of cacao which is reasonably suspected of 
having been stolen, ; and if such person does not} 
give an account to the satisfaction of the police 
magistrate as to how he came by such cacao, and 
the police magistrate is satisfied that, having re- 
gard to all the circumstances of the case there are 
reasonable groudds for suspecting such cacao to 
have been stolen, snch person may be convicted of 
an offence under this Ordinance. 
' (2) Where any police oflQcer or peace officer finds 
any person in possession or charge of web cacao 
which he suspects to have been stolen, he shall 
require Iiim to give a full and satisfactory account 
of the same, and if such person refuses or is nn- 
able to give an account to the satisfaction of such 
officer, such cacao may be seized, and such person 
may be brought before a police magistrate and 
charged as aforesaid. 
(3) Upon a conviction under this section Hie 
police magistrate may direct the cacao in respect 
of which the accused was convicted, if the skme 
lias been seized, to be restored to any person who 
he is satisfied ii^ the lawful owner thereof, other- 
wise he shall order the same to be forfeited. 
Any person who is convicted of an offence 
against this Ordinance for which no punishment 
is specially provided by this Ordinance shall be 
liable to simple or rigorous imprisonment which 
may extend to six months, or to a fine not exceed- 
ing two hundred rupees. 
It shall be lawful for the Governor in Council 
from tin.e to time to makerules and to frame forms 
for giving effect to the provisions of this Ordinance. 
Then follow forms of license, and of entry 
where cacao is purchased, and where cacao 
which has not been purchased by licerised 
dealer is brought into licensed premises. . 
