Section 52: Recovery of penalties.

SCHEDULES CHAPTER 92. BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION. An Ordinance to Consolidate and Amend the Law relating to the Registration of Births and Deaths. (25TH JULY, 1913.) 13 of 1913. 28 of 1929. 9 of 1931. 13 of 1942. 13 of 1948. 1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Births and Deaths Short title. Registration Ordinance. 2. In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwise requires- " appointed fee" means the fee payable by the public under the provisions of this Ordinance; Interpretation. 13 o£1948. " Chief Registrar " means the Assistant Director of Medical Services, and includes any person appointed by name or ex officio by the Governor to be Deputy Chief Registrar; " Coroner " includes an acting and a Deputy Coroner; "district" means a district constituted under this Ordinance; " Freetown " means the City of Freetown as defined from time to time by the Freetown Municipality Ordinance, or any Ordinance substituted therefor; "house" includes a public institution as herein defined; "occupier" includes the governor, keeper, master, matron, superintendent or other chief resident officer of any public institution, and, where a house is let in separate apartments or lodgings, includes any person residing in such house who is the person under whom such separate apartments or lodgings are immediately held, or his agent; " particulars required to be registered " means the particulars specified by the form in Schedules A or B to this Ordinance, as the case rna y be; " prescribed " means prescribed by rules made from time to time in pursuance of the provisions of this Ordinance, or of any Ordinance hereby repealed.* " public institution " includes a prison, lock-up, workhouse, barracks, mental hospital, hospital and any prescribed public or charitable institution; " register " means register of births or deaths, as the case may be, kept under or by virtue of this Ordinance or any Ordinance hereby repealed; "registration " means registration by the Chief Registrar or any person declared by this Ordinance to be an officer of, or under the control of, the Chief Registrar; "Registrar" means Registrar of Births and Deaths or of Births or of Deaths, and includes a Deputy Registrar; " Registry Office " means the office of the Chief Registrar; " relative " includes a relative by marriage; " still-born " and " still-birth" shall apply to any child which has issued forth from its mother after the twenty-eighth week of pregnancy and which did not at any time after being completely expelled from its mother, breathe or show any other signs of life. *Saves Regulations No. 6 of 1908, of 8th July, 1908, made under the repealed Ordinance No. 9 of 1906. Births and Deaths Registration PART I.-DISTRICTS AND OFFICERS FOR REGISTRATION PURPOSES. [Cap. 92 1035 3. (I) The Governor in Council rna y by Order divide the ~~;:;ni! in Colony or any part thereof into districts for any of the purposes c?~ncil to of this Ordinance, and may from time to time alter the districts ~ 1 ;rd~.cto~o~y so appointed and create new districts by dividing the same by m 0 rs nc s. amalgamating one district or part of one district with another or a part of another district, or by adding to existing districts any part of the Colony which is not already comprised in any existing district, or may abolish any one or more of the said districts. ~ (2) The Governor in Council shall have the like powers as to altering, creating, and abolishing new districts in regard to any altered or newly created districts as in regard to those at present in existence. (3) The Chief Registrar shall from time to time decide what towns, villages and places are comprised in any district. 4. The Governor may from time to time appoint persons to be Registrars of Births and Deaths for each district created under section 3 of this Ordinance and may appoint for each such district one or more Deputy Registrars to act for or under the control of the Registrar of the District. Appointment of District Registrars. 5. In all register books of births and deaths there shall be Form of printed upon each side of every leaf the heads of information ~~;~~~r herein required to be known and registered of births and deaths respectively; and every page of each of such books shall be numbered progressively from the beginning to the end, beginning with number one; and every place of entry shall be also numbered progressively from the beginning to the end of the book, beginning with number one; and every entry shall be divided from the following entry by a printed line; and every Registrar shall, as soon after the event as conveniently may be done, register in one of the said books the particulars required to be registered touching every such birth or every such death, as the case may be, which shall not have been already registered, every such entry being made in order from the beginning to the end of the book. PART II.-REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS IN THE CoLONY. 6. In the case of every child born alive, it shall be the duty Duty of of the father and mother of the child, and in default of the ~=~~!~~~ ~frth father and mother, of the occupier of the house, in which to his of child. 1036 Cap. 92] Births and Deaths Registration knowledge the child is born, and of each person present at the birth, and of the person having charge of the child, to give to the Registrar, within fourteen days next after such birth, information of the particulars required to be registered concerning such birth and in the presence of the Registrar to sign the register. Informati~n 7. Where a birth has, from the default of the parents or other ~~;~e~i:~e~ed persons required to give information concer1lL11g it, not been tobeob~ained duly registered, the Registrar may, at any time after the end of by RegJstrar. fourteen days from such birth, by notice in writing, require any Information as to newborn child found exposed. of the persons required by this Ordinance to give information concerning such birth to attend personally at the Registrar's office, or at any other place appointed by the Registrar within his district, within such time (not less than seven days after the receipt of such notice, and not more than three months from the date of the birth) as may be specified in such notice, and to give information, to the best of such person's knowledge and belief, of the particulars required to be registered concerning such birth, and to sign the register in the presence of the Registrar; and it shall be the duty of such person, unless the birth is registered before the expiration of the time specified in such requisition, to comply with such requisition. 8. In case any living new-born child is found exposed, it shall be the duty of any person finding such child and of any person in whose charge such child may be placed, to give, to the best of his knowledge and belief, to the Registrar, within seven days after the finding of such child, such information of the particulars required to be registered concerning the birth of such child, as the informant possesses, and in the presence of the Registrar to sign the register. Dut1 of 9. It shall be the duty of the Registrar to inform himself ~~~~st~:- !~d carefully of every birth which happens within his district, and regi~ter births upon receiving personaHy from the informant, at any time within gratis. three months from the date of the birth of any child or the of birth after three months. finding of any living new-born child, information of the particulars required to be registered concerning the birth of such child, forthwith in the prescribed form and manner to register the birth and the said particulars (if not previously registered), without fee or reward from the informant. 10. After the expiration of three months next after the birth of any child, a Registrar shall not register such birth, except as in this section provided; that is to say, the Registrar may, after three and not later than twelve months next after the birth, Births and Deaths Registratior& [Cap. 92 by notice in writing, require any of the persons required by this Ordinance to give information concerning the birth to attend personally at the Registrar's office, or at any other place appointed by the Registrar within his district, within such time (not less than fourteen days after the receipt of the notice, and not more than twelve months after the date of the birth), as may be specified in the notice, and make before the Registrar a solemn declaration according to the best of the declarant's knowledge and belief of the particulars required to be registered concerning the birth, and sign the register in the presence of the Registrar; and upon any of the said persons attending before the Registrar, whether in pursuance of a requisition or not, and making such a declaration as aforesaid, and giving information concerning the birth, the Registrar shall then and there register the birth according to the information of the declarant, and the Registrar before whom the declaration is made shall, as well as the declarant, sign the entry of the birth, and the informant shall pay the appointed fee on such registration. Every such declaration made before a Registrar under this section shall be received by such Registrar and deposited by him among the records of his office until such time as is hereinafter mentioned. 11. In the case of an illegitimate child, no person shall, as father of such child, be required to give information under this Ordinance concerning the birth of such child, and the Registrar shall not enter in the register of births the name of any person as father of such child, unless at the joint request of the mother and of the person acknowledging himself to be the father of such child, and such person shall in such case sign the register, together with the mother. of birth of illegitimate child. 12. After the expiration of twelve months next after the birth Registra~ion of any child, that birth shall not be registered except with the ~~~~!h after written authority of the Chief Registrar, and upon payment of months. the appointed fee, and except in accordance with the prescribed rules, and the fact of such authority having been given shall be entered in the register. Every person who registers or causes to be registered the birth of any child in contravention of this section shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds. 13. (1) Any person required by this Ordinance to give information concerning a birth, who removes before such birth is registered out of any·district in which such birth has taken place, may within three months after such birth, give the S.L.-VoL. ll-31 of birth out of any district in case of removal. 1038 Cap. 92] Births and Deaths Registration information by making and signing in the presence of the Registrar of the district in which he resides a declaration in writing of the particulars required to be registered concerning such birth; and such Registrar, on payment of the appointed fee, shall receive and attest the declaration and send the same to the Registrar of the district in which the birth took place; and the last mentioned Registrar shall, in the prescribed manner, enter the birth in the register, and the entry so made shall be deemed to have been signed by the person who signed the declaration. (2) A person making a declaration in pursuance of this section in the case of any birth shall be deemed to have complied with the provisions of this Ordinance as to giving information concerning that birth, and with any requisition of the Registrar made under this Ordinance within the said three months to attend and give information concerning that birth. ~egistration f 14. (I) \Vhen the birth of any child has been registered and ~lt~:a~~:~o the name, if any, by which it was registered is altered, or if name. it was registered without a name, when a name is given to it, of birth occurring on vessel in territorial waters. the parent or guardian of such child, or other person procuring such name to be altered or given, may, within twelve months next after the registration of the birth, deliver to the Registrar such certificate as hereinafter mentioned, and the Registrar, upon the receipt of that certificate and on payment of the appointed fee, shall, without any erasure of the original entry, forthwith enter in the Register Book the name mentioned in the certificate as having been given to the child, and having stated upon the certificate the fact of such entry having been made, shall forthwith send the certificate to the Chief Registrar, together with a certified copy of the entry of the birth with the name so added. (2) The certificate shall be in the form given in the Schedules C and D to this Ordinance or other prescribed form, as the case rna y be, or as near thereto as circumstances admit, and shall be signed by the minister or person who performed the rite of baptism upon which the name was given or altered, or, if the child is not baptised, shall be signed by the father, mother or guardian of the child, or other person procuring the name of the child to be given or altered. 15. Whenever a child is born on board of any vessel upon the territorial waters of the Colony and not in any district, the parent, and, in default of the parent, the master of the vessel or other officer or person in charge thereof, and, in default of the master or such officer or person, then the person having charge of the child, shall, within fourteen days next after the birth, report to the best of his knowledge and belief the particulars required to be registered concerning the birth to the Chief Registrar, who shall cause a correct entry of the same to be made in the register of such district as he shall think proper. 16. Every minister or other person who shall baptise any Pers'?~ infant whose birth is required by this Ordinance to be registered ~~fiX'~~g shall, before performing the rite of baptism upon such infant, require certirequire production to him of a certificate of registration of the ~:;!~r~~ion birth of such infant, signed by the Registrar; and in case no such certificate shall be produced to him, he shall, within forty-eight hours from the baptism, give notice of the fact in writing in the form given in Schedule E to this Ordinance or other prescribed form, or as near thereto as possible, to the Registrar of the district within which such infant was born, or, if such infant was not born within a district, to the Chief PART IlL-REGISTRATION OF DEATHS IN THE CoLONY. 17. The death of every person dying in any district, and the Registration of death. cause of such death, shall be registered by the Registrar in books to be kept by him for that purpose. 18. \Vhen a person dies in a house, it shall be the duty of the Information nearest relatives of the deceased present at the death, or in ~~c~~~f~g in attendance during the last illness of the deceased, and in default a house. of such relatives, of every other relative of the deceased dwelling or being in the same district as the deceased, and in default of such relatives, of each person present at the death, and of the occupier of the house in which, to his knowledge, the death took place, and in default of the persons hereinbefore in this section mentioned, of each inmate of such house, and of the person causing the body of the deceased to be buried, to give, to the best of his knowledge and belief, to the Registrar, within the three days next following the day of such death, information of the particulars required to be registered concerning such death, and in the presence of the Registrar to sign the register, unless such informant shall produce to the Registrar a medical certificate, as provided by section 27 of this Ordinance. S.L.-VoL. II-31* Information of death not occurring in a house. Notice preliminary to information. Duty of Registrar in default of person required to give information. Duty of Registrar to inform himself as to deaths. 19. Where a person dies in a place which is not a house, or a dead body is found elsewhere than in a house, it shall be the duty of every relative of such deceased person having knowledge of any of the particulars required to be registered concerning the death, and in default of such relative, of every person present at the death, and of any person finding, and of any person taking charge of the body, and of the person causing the body to be buried, to give to the Registrar, within the three days next after the death or finding, such information of the particulars required to be registered concerning the death as the informant possesses, and in the presence of the Registrar to sign the register. 20. If a person required to give information concerning any death sends to the Registrar a written notice of the occurrence of the death, accompanied by such medical certificate of the cause of the death as is required by this Ordinance to be delivered to the Registrar, the information required to be registered concerning the death need not be given within the said three days, but shall, notwithstanding such notice, be given within fourteen days next after the day of the death, by the person giving such notice, or some other person required by this Ordinance to give information. 21. Where any death has, from the default of the persons required to give information concerning it, not been registered, the Registrar may, at any time after the expiration of fourteen days and within twelve months from the day of such death or from the finding of the body elsewhere than in a house, by notice in writing, require any person required by this Ordinance to give information concerning such death to attend personally at the Registrar's Office, or at any other place appointed by the Registrar within his district, within such time (not less than fourteen days after the receipt of the notice, nor more than twelve months after the death or finding of the dead body) as may be specified in the notice, and to give the said information to the best of the informant's knowledge and belief, and to sign the register in the presence of the Registrar; and it shall be the duty of such person, unless the death is registered before the expiration of the time specified in the requisition, to comply with the requisition. 22. It shall be the duty of the Registrar to inform himself carefully of every death which happens within his district, and upon receiving personally from the informant at any time within twelve months after the date of any death, or of the finding of any dead body, information of the particulars required to be registered by this Ordinance, forthwith in the prescribed form and manner to register the death and the said particulars (if not previously registered), without fee or reward from the informant. 23. \Vhere a death occurs on board of any vessel upon the Pne:;:ri~~r~~tP territorial waters of the Colony and not in any district, the waters. master of the vessel or other officer or person in charge thereof sha11, without delay, report to the Chief Registrar such of the particulars required to be registered concerning the death as shall have come to his knowledge; and the Chief Registrar shall cause a correct entry of the same to be made in the register of such district as he shall think proper. 24. Where a death occurs in or upon the territorial waters of Dea~h i~ 1 h C 1 b d f 1 d . a· . territona t e 0 ony not On oar 0 a vesse an not m any lStnct, waters not on every person present at the death, and in default of such persons, ship. the person finding or taking charge of the body shall without delay report to the Chief Registrar such of the particulars required to be registered concerning the death as shall have come to his knowledge, and the Chief Registrar shall cause a correct entry of the same to be made in the register of such district as he shall think proper. 25. After the expiration of twelve months next after any death, or after the finding of any dead body elsewhere than in a house, that death shall not be registered, except with the written authority of the Chief Registrar, and except in accordance with the prescribed rules and after payment of the appointed fee, and the fact of such authority having been given shall be entered in the register. Every person who registers or causes to be registered any death in contravention of this section shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds. 26. Where an inquest or enquiry is held on any dead body, the jury or Coroner, as the case may be, shall inquire of the particulars required to be registered con~erning the death, and the Coroner shall send to the Registrar, within three days after the finding of the jury or Coroner is given, a certificate under his hand in the form given in Schedule F to this Ordinance or other prescribed form, giving information concerning the death and specifying the finding of the jury or Coroner with respect to the said particulars, and to the cause of death, and specifying after twelve months. Furnishing of information by Coroner. I042 Certificate of cause of death. Application of Part IV. the time and place at which the inquest or enquiry was held, and the Registrar shall in the prescribed form and manner enter the death and particulars from the certificate of the Coroner furnished as aforesaid, and shall not require the Coroner to sign the register, and such certificate shall be filed in the office of the Chief Registrar. If the death has been previously registered, the said particulars shall be entered in the prescribed manner without any alteration of the original entry. Where an inquest or enquiry is held on any dead body, no person shall, with respect to such dead body or death, be liable to attend upon a requisition of the Registrar, or be subject to any penalty for failing to give information in pursuance of any other provision of this Ordinance. 27. (I) The Chief Registrar shall from time to time furnish to every Registrar printed forms of certificates, in the form given in Schedule G to this Ordinance or other prescribed form, of cause of death by registered medical practitioners, and every Registrar shall furnish such forms gratis to any registered medical practitioner residing or practising in such Registrar's District. (2) In case of the death of any person who has been attended during his last illness by a registered medical practitioner, that practitioner shall sign and give to some person required by this Ordinance to give information concerning the death a certificate stating to the best of his knowledge and belief the cause of death, and such person shall, upon giving information concerning the death or giving notice of the death, deliver that certificate to the Registrar, and the cause of death as stated in that certificate shall be entered in the register, together with the name of the certifying medical practitioner. (3) ·where an inquest or enquiry is held on the body of any deceased person, a medical certificate of the cause of death need not be given to the Registrar, but the certificate of the finding of the jury or Coroner furnished by the Coroner shall be sufficient. PART IV.-SPECIAL PROVISIONS AS TO CERTAIN DISTRICTS. 28. (I) This part of this Ordinance shall apply only to Freetown, Kissy, Congo Town, Murray Town and Wilberforce. (2) It shall be lawful for the Governor in Council by order to declare that this part of this Ordinance or any provisions thereof shall no longer apply to Freetown, Kissy, Congo Town, Murray Town and Wilberforce or to any one or more of the said places. (3) It shall be lawful for the Governor in Council by order to apply this part of this Ordinance or any of the provisions thereof to any other district. 29. It shall be lawful for the Governor to appoint for each district to which this part of this Ordinance applies a fit and proper person, who shall be called the Registrar's Officer, and likewise to remove such Registrar's Officer at his pleasure. 30. (1) A Registrar shall at the time of registering any birth give to the person giving the information concerning the same, without fee or reward from such informant, a certificate under his hand and the official seal of his office according to the form in Schedule J to this Ordinance, or other prescribed form, of the entry of registration of such birth, and such informant shall deliver the certificate to the person having charge of the child whose birth is registered as aforesaid. (2) If any person to whom a certificate is given in pursuance of this section fails to deliver that certificate to the person having charge of the child whose birth is registered, he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings. Registrar's Officer. Registrar to give certificate of birth to informant. For person in charge of child. (3) It shall be the duty of the person having charge of the Who should retain it for child whose birth is registered to keep safely such certificate two years. for the period of two years from the date of the registration of the birth of such child. (4) Whenever such certificate is lost, the person having charge of the child whose birth is registered may, upon application to the Registrar within the said period of two years and upon payment of a fee of threepence, obtain a fresh certificate, and the Registrar shalJ thereupon give to such person a fresh certificate, in manner and form as aforesaid, of the entry of registration of the birth to which such lost certificate relates. (5) If any person, whose duty it is to keep such certificate, shall not produce and deliver such certificate to be examined and read by the Registrar or Registrar's Officer within a reasonable time after such Registrar or Registrar's Officer shall have required production of the same, he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings. 31. (1) It shall be the duty of the Registrar's Officer to inform himself carefully of every birth which happens within the Registrar's district, and whenever he has reasonable cause to believe that any child under the age of two years is dwelling New certificate when original lost. Penalty for nonproduction of certificate. Registrar's Officer to make enquiries as to births. Penalty for obstructing Information as to still-births. Penalty on contravention. of still-births. Particulars as to still- births to be registered. in any house, and that the birth of such child has not been registered in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance, it shall be lawful for the Registrar or the Registrar's Officer to make all necessary enquiries concerning the birth, and for that purpose to require from the person having charge of the child the production of a certificate of registration of birth and to examine and read the same, and, if it shall be ascertained that the birth of such child has not been registered in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance, the Registrar may at any time, by notice in writing, require any of the persons required by this Ordinance to give information concerning the birth, to attend personally at the Registrar's office, or at any other place appointed by the Registrar within his district, within such time as may be specified in such notice, and to give information, to the best of such person's knowledge and belief, of the particulars required to be registered concerning such birth, and to sign the register in the presence of the Registrar; and it shall be the duty of such person, unless the birth is registered before the expiration of the time specified in such requisition, to comply with such requisition. (2) If any person wilfully obstructs the Registrar or the Registrar's officer in the lawful exercise of the powers vested in them under this section, he shall for each offence be liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds. 32. {l) In the case of every child still-born, it shall be the duty of one of the persons who would, if the child had been born alive, have been required by this Ordinance to give information concerning the birth, to give to the Registrar within twenty-four hours next after such still-birth, notice of the occurrence of the still-birth. (2) Any person acting in contravention of this section shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings. 33. It shall be the duty of the Registrar to inform himself carefully of every still-birth which happens within his district, and upon receiving personally from the informant at any time information of the particulars required to be registered concerning such still-birth, forthwith in the prescribed form and manner to register the still-birth and the said particulars (if not previously registered), without fee or reward from the informant. 34. (1 ) The particulars required to be registered concerning a still-birth shall be the same particulars as those specified in the case of a child born alive. (2) The Registrar shall register the particulars required to be registered concerning a still-birth in a book specially set apart for that purpose. 35. There shall be paid to the Registrar for registering every still-birth the fees specified in Schedule N to this Ordinance or other prescribed fees. 36. (I) Immediately upon registering or recmvmg written notice of the o::currence of any death or still-birth within his district, the Registrar shall, except where an order shall have been made by the Coroner, grant a certificate according to the form of Schedule H to this Ordinance, or other prescribed form, authorising the body of the deceased person or still-born child to be buried; but if the Registrar shall not be satisfied as to the cause of death or as to the still-birth, he shall cause enquiries to be made concerning the same, and for that purpose it shall be lawful for the Registrar or the Registrar's officer at any time between the hours of eight o'clock in the forenoon and four o'clock in the afternoon, to enter into any house where the body of any such deceased person or still-born child shall be lying and to make all necessary enquiries concerning the death or still-birth. (2} If any person wilfully obstructs the Registrar or the Registrar's officer i.11 the lawful exercise of the powers vested in them under this section, he shall for each offence be liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds. 37. No body of a deceased person or still-born child referred to in the foregoing section shall be buried until an order shall have been made by the Coroner, or a certificate shall have been granted by the Registrar, authorising the body of such deceased person or still-born child to be buried and the keeper of any cemetery shall not permit the body of any such deceased person or still-born child to be buried in such cemetery without the production of such order or certificate as aforesaid; and the keeper of such cemetery, who shall permit the body of any such deceased person or still-born child to be buried without the production of such order or certificate as aforesaid, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds; and any person, who shall knowingly bury or cause to be buried or be concerned in burying the body of any such deceased person or still-born child without an order of the Coroner or a certificate of the Registrar authorising the same, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds. Fees. Burial certificate to be given by Penalty for obstructing Burial to be only under certificate of Registrar or Coroner's order. 1046 Cap. 92] Births and Deaths Registration !hids partt~ot 38. The provisions of this part of this Ordinance shall be m eroga Jon "l" d . d . f h h f hiofotherparts, aux11ary to an not m erogatwn o t e ot er parts o t s unless i~ Ordinance and all the provisions of the other parts of this ~~~=~e es Ordinance shall have full force and effect in the districts to which Failure or refusal to give information. False statement on certificates. this part of this Ordinance applies, save in so far as the same are actually or impliedly superseded or affected by any provision of this part of this Ordinance. PART V.-OFFENCES. 39. Every person required to give information concerning any birth, still-birth or death, or any living new-born child, or any dead body, who wilfully refuses to answer any question put to him by the Registrar relating to the particulars required to be registered concerning such birth, still-birth, or death, or fails to comply with any requisition of the Registrar made in pursuance of this Ordinance, and every person who refuses or fails without reasonable excuse to give or send any certificate in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance, or to whom a medical certificate has been given by a registered medical practitioner in pursuance of section 27 of this Ordinance and who fails to deliver such certificate to the Registrar, or who commits an offence against section 16 of this Ordinance, shall be liable for each offence to a penalty not exceeding five pounds or to imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for a period not exceeding one month; and the parent of any child who fails to give information concerning the birth of such child as required by this Ordinance shall be liable to a like penalty; and a person required by this Ordinance to give information concerning a death in the first instance, and not merely in default of some other person, shall, if such information as is required by this Ordinance is not duly given, be liable to the same penalty. 40. Any person who commits any of the following offences, that is to say- (1) wilfully makes any false answer to any question put to him by a Registrar relating to the particulars required to be registered concerning any birth, still-birth or death, or wilfully gives to a Registrar any false information concerning any birth, still-birth, or death, or the cause of any death; or (2) wilfully makes any false certificate or declaration under or for the purposes of this Ordinance, or forges or falsifies any such certificate or declaration or any order under this Ordinance, or, knowing any such certificate, declaration or order to be false or forged, uses the same as true, or gives or sends the same as true to any person; or (3) wilfully makes, gives or uses any false statement or representation as to a child born alive having been still-born, or as to the body of a deceased person or a still-born child in any coffin, or falsely pretends that any child born alive was still-born; or (4) makes any false statement with intent to have the same entered in any register of births, still-births or deaths, shall for each offence be liable, on summary conviction, to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds, and, on conviction on information, to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds or imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for a term not exceeding five years. PART VL-OPTIONAL REGISTRATION. 41. (I) In the case of births or deaths occurring in the Pe~missiye . • . registratiOn Protectorate, or m parts of the Colony not compnsed m any in the Prodistrict, any person who, if such birth or death had occurred tectorate. within a district, would have been required to inform the Registrar, may, if he so thinks fit, inform the local Registrar as hereinafter appointed of such birth or death, and such local Registrar shall, on receipt from such informant of the appointed fee, register the particulars hereinbefore required to be registered and, as regards the registration of such birth or death, the provisions of this Ordinance shall apply, and, as regards any duties of registration hereby imposed, local Registrars shall be deemed to be Registrars within the meaning of this Ordinance, and shall have the same privileges, rights and emoluments as Registrars. (2) The Governor ma,y from time to time by order in writing appoint fit and proper persons to be local Registrars and may revoke such appointment. (3) Until local Registrars are appointed under this section, the persons indicated in Schedule I to this Ordinance shall be deemed to be local Registrars within the meaning of this section for the respective districts set opposite their respective names in the third column of the said schedule. PART VII.-MrscELLANEous. 42. A Registrar shall, upon demand made at the time of Cer:ifica!e of registering any birth or death by the person giving the informa- ~~gt~~~t:n tion concerning the same, and upon payment of the appointed d~ath ~o be fee, give to such person a certificate under his hand-and the 'k:;~tr!r. Correction of errors. Power of Governor in Council to make rules. Returns to be sent by Registrar to Chief official seal of his office, according to the forms in Schedules J or K to this Ordinance, or other prescribed forms, of the entry of registration of such birth or death, as the case may be. 43. Any Registrar, who shall discover any error to have been committed in the form or substance of any entry of registration of birth, still-birth or death, shall, within one month next after the discovery of such error, in the presence of the parent of the child whose birth or still-birth may have been so registered, or of two persons attending any person in his last illness whose death may have been so registered, or in the case of the death or absence of the respective parties aforesaid, of two credible witnesses, who shall respectively attest the same, correct the erroneous entry according to the truth of the case by entry in the margin, without any alteration of the original entry, and shall sign the marginal entry and add thereunto the day of the month and year when such correction shall be made. 44. (1) It shall be lawful for the Governor in Council, with the approval of the House of Representatives, to make rules fixing the appointed fees, prescribing forms to be used, and generally for the carrying out of the provisions of this Ordinance, and to attach a penalty not exceeding forty shillings for a breach of any such rules. (2) Until the appointed fees are fixed and forms are prescribed under the provisions of this section, the table of appointed fees set forth in Schedule L to this Ordinance shall be in force, and the forms given in the several schedules to this Ordinance shall continue in use. (3) The Registration of Births and Deaths Rules shall be deemed to have been made by the Governor in Council, with the approval of the House of Representatives, under subsection (1) of this section, and may be amended, varied or revoked by other rules made and approved thereunder. 45. On the tenth days respectively of April, July, October and January, in every year, every Registrar shall make and deliver to the Chief Registrar a true copy, certified by him under his hand and the official seal of his office according to the form of Schedule M to this Ordinance, or other prescribed form, of all the entries of births and deaths made in the register kept by him during the three entire months previous to the said months of April, July, October and January respectively; and every Registrar shall on the same days respectively deliver to the Chief Registrar all declarations made before him under section 10 of this Ordinance, and every Registrar shall safely keep each of the said registers until it shall be filled, and shall, with all reasonable despatch after such register has been filled, deliver it to the Chief Registrar to be kept by him with the records of his office; and every Registrar who shall fail to make such returns in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings. 46. ( l) There shall be paid to Registrars in respect of the work performed by them such fees as the Chief Registrar, with the approval of the Governor, shall from time to time appoint, and, until fees are appointed under the provisions of this section, the fees shall be those specified in Schedule N to this Ordinance: Provided always that it shall be lawful for the Governor, upon a certificate in writing by the Chief Registrar that the work in respect of which the above fees are payable has not been done by a Registrar in a manner satisfactory to the Chief Registrar, to withhold payment of the whole or part of such fees so payable to such Registrar. (2) The said fees shall be paid by the Accountant General as soon as conveniently may be after the returns for the quarter shall have been transmitted to the Chief Registrar in accordance with the provisions of section 45 of this Ordinance and shall have been examined by the Chief Registrar, and upon a certificate in writing by the Chief Registrar that the work, in respect of which the above fees are payable, has been done by a 47. The Chief Registrar and every Registrar shall at all reasonable times, upon payment of the appointed fee, allow searches to be made in any register book of births or deaths or certified copy thereof in his custody, and, upon payment of the appointed fee, shall give a certificate under his hand and the official seal of his office, according to the forms in Schedules J or K to this Ordinance or other prescribed forms, of the entry of registration of such birth or death or certified copy thereof, as the case may be. 48. (I) Any person shall on payment of a fee of sixpence and on furnishing the prescribed particulars be entitled to obtain from a Registrar or the Chief Registrar a certificate in the prescribed form of the birth of any person compiled from the entry of registration of such birth or the certified copy thereof as the case may be. Payment of fees to Registrars. Searches. Shortened form of birth certificate. 13 of 1948. Fees to be in stamps and form part of general revenue. Production of documents. Certified copies of entries to be receivable as evidence. Recovery of penalties. (2) The power to make rules conferred upon the Governor in Council with the approval of the House of Representatives by section 44 shall include power to make rules prescribing the forms of certificates to be issued under this section, the particulars to be furnished by applicants for such certificates, the manner in which such certificates are to be compiled and the particulars which are to be contained therein not being particulars relating to parentage or adoption. 49. All appointed fees under the provisions of this Ordinance shall be payable by means of such adhesive stamps as are legally in use in Sierra Leone, and may be recovered as a debt due to the Registrar, and shall form part of the general revenue. 50. The Chief Registrar and any Registrar or officer in the department of the Chief Registrar shall produce, o.r cause to be produced, any certificate, register or record in his custody on subpcena or order of any competent Court, and on payment of a reasonable sum, to be taxed as the Court may direct, and to be paid to the Chief Registrar on account of the loss of time of the officer by whom such certificate, register or record shall be produced. All such sums received by the Chief Registrar shall be paid into the general revenue of the Colony. 51. Every copy of an entry relating to a birth or death made under the provisions of this Ordinance, purporting to be signed and sealed in accordance with the provisions of section 4 7 of this Ordinance, shall be receivable as evidence of the birth or death to which the same relates, without any further or other proof of such entry; but no certified copy shall be of any force or effect which is not so signed and sealed. 52. All penalties imposed by this Ordinance shall be recoverable before a Magistrate. Births and Deaths Registration [Cap. 92 1051 SCHEDULE A. Sees. 2 and 5. 19 . Births in the District of................................ ..in the Colony of Sierra Leone • "' ,_; .:. ..... .: '"'... "'"' p 0 .::; .~o <> s...: "'"' 00 ... .: ....: "' 0 <>..., ~~ .: 0 ~~ "'"0.:;;; "'d • Q,).o-1 03 N arne, if added"'0~~ 0"' "OgjS"0~ :-< ........ ... ...: No. .: ... Name, i'il 0 '8]~ P.,-+' ....... When Signature after registra-<> ... .::! E"'dt.Sd 0 if any. w Q.)~ s d 0 registered. of Registrar. tion of birth. ""' . "' s o.._. p .: .: .: s e ~0 ~~;:" ss...: d"Cl § :s: Z.: d d OJ:>oo d z.: ~ w~ -- -- ---- -- --- -- SCHEDULE B . Sees. 2 and 5. 19 . Deaths in the District of ....... ..in the Colony of Sierra Leone. .; b.O ar .; <> ..d 8 .s.: "' ~ .8: ~ -a..d d ~.s " ... <> • "..., ..., .: ... ~ ;§ ·.: o"C"" ...d d ... :z~ ~·Cd ~ "" .; p ..., " p o,g ~b s "0~8 ·Sn"0 "0 00 :-< .; "0 Cause ..... ""' Signature of..... ..... en ~gj 0 0 ~ ~ 0 ..... . .... No. 0 "0 " §~ of 0 ~ "0 <£ " Registrar.0 ~ w ~ A ~=~ .: ... " "' ~ death. 0 " ~ §.s al..., 0 ~a. "d '.;'l 0 d ~ <> 8;@ d ~ '".:""' >=I 8 .... .: 0 0 ...: d d" p r£:z :s:z zs >=I ---- - - - - --- ------- - --- SCHEDULE C. Sec. 14. I... ................................ of. ................................. ..in the Colony of Sierra Leone, do hereby certify that on the .................................... day of... ................................ .l9 ...... , I baptised by the name of... ................................. a male (female) child produced to me by.................................... as the .................................... of... ................................. and declared by the said .................................... to have been born at .................................. ..in the Colony of Sierra Leone on the ...................... .. day of................................... .l9 ...... . Witness my hand this .................................... day of... ................................ .l9 ..... .. (Signed) ..................................................................... .. Officiating Minister. Sec. 14. Sec. 16. Sec. 26. SCHEDULE D. I... ................................. of.................................... in the Colony of Sierra Leone do hereby certify that the male (female) child born on the .................................... day of... .......................... . 19 ...... , at .................................. ..in the Colony of Sierra Leone to .................................... and .................................... his wife and registered in the .................................... district of... .......................... . on the .................................... day of. .................................. .19 ...... , has (without being baptised) received the name of... ................................. . Witness my hand this .................................... day of... ................................ .l9 ...... . (Signed) ........................................................................ Father, Mother or Guardian, etc. SCHEDULE E. (To the Registrar of Births and Deaths for the District of .................................... ) I... ................................. of... ............................... ..in the Colony of Sierra Leone, do hereby give you notice that on the .................................... day of... ................................ .l9 ...... , I baptised an infant of the name of... ................................. , the child of... ................................. of... .......................... . and .................................... , his wife, and that no certificate of registration of the birth of the said infant was previously produced to me. Witness my hand this .................................... day of... ................................ .19 ...... . (Signed) ....................................................................... . Officiating Minister. SCHEDULE F. (To the Registrar of Births and Deaths for the District of .................................... ) This is to certify that an inquest (or enquiry) was holden by me on the .................................... day of... ................................. 19...... , at .................................. ..in the .................................. .. district, and that the finding of the jury (or of the Coroner or District Commissioner) with respect to the particulars required to be registered and to the cause of death was as follows- Date Place Name Duration Place of of and Sex. Age. Rank or Abode. Cause of of of death. death. surname. profession. death. illness. burial. --- Given under my hand this .................................... day o£... ................................ .19 ...... . (Signed) ...................................................................... .. Coroner or District Commissioner for the district. SCHEDULE G. MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF CAUSE OF DEATH. I hereby certify that I have medically attended ............................. of 1 .............................• who was 2 apparently or stated to be aged .................................... years, that I last saw ................................... on the .................................... l9 ...... , that .................................... was then suffering from .................................... , that .................................... died as I am aware, or 3 informed, on the .................................... day of............ ... .19 ...... , at 4 .................................... , and that the c~use of death was to the best of my knowledge and belief as herein stated, VlZ.- .................................... Primary Cause . .................................... Secondary Cause. 5 and that the disease had continued .................................... . Witness my hand this .................................... day o£... ................................ .19 ...... . Signature ..................................................................................... . Medical Qualification ..................................................... . Address .................................................................................. . 1 State address. 2 Omit " apparently " or " stated to be " as the case may be. 3 Omit " aware, or " when hour of death is known from report. 4 State the time. 6 State duration of illness if possible. Note that by" primary cause of death" is meant the disease present at the time of death, which initiated the train of events leading thereto, and not a mere secondary, contributory, or immediate cause or a terminal condition or mode of death. SCHEDULE H. CERTIFICATE FOR BuRIAL. This is to certify that the death of. ................................. Jate of... ................................ , deceased has been duly registered by me or has been duly notified to me (or that I am credibly informed that a child of ................................... oj. .................................. and .................................... his wife born on the .................................... day of. ................................. .l9 .... , was still-born) and I hereby give permission for interment of the body. Witness my hand this ................................... day of... ................................. , 19 The Medical Dispenser. S.L.-VoL. II-32 (Signed) .................... . Registrar of Births and Deaths for the district of