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Description and Holding Information
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1774-1905, Laws of British Guiana (New and Revised Edition) (5 volumes)
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Laws of British Guiana, New and Revised edition in 5 volumes, printed by Waterlow & Sons, Ltd. London, for the Government of British Guiana. There
had been several earlier compilations, fully described in the preface to volume One. The Dutch originally colonized the area, but they surrendered
Demerara and Essequebo to the British in 1803. British Guiana was organized in 1831 with the entities of Demerara, Essequebo, and Berbice working
together. In this compilation, each volume begins and ends with the text of the laws of a complete year. Each volume has its own Table of Contents. The
compiler decided to enhance some laws printed by listing at its beginning laws affecting it. There were also extensive marginal notes for most laws.
Volume One included on p. 2-4 the surrender of Demerara and Essequebo in 1803. Pages 5-7 were in two columns, with Dutch on one side and English on the
other. Pages 7-10 contained the Proclamation of Capitulation. Pages 11-18 were the 1831 Letters Patent constituting the colony, announcing the
governor, setting up court rules, and designating counties. In 1846, the law of companies occupied p. 40-144, followed by the ordinance for the Demerara
Railroad, p. 144-193. The railroad appeared often throughout all five volumes. In 1861, it was necessary to pass an ordinance to ensure discipline among
the Church of England clergy. There were many ordinances about religion in the set. In 1868, an ordinance created a registry system for births and
deaths. Liquor production and sale was dealt with the same year on p. 370-400. In 1869, an oceanic telegraph was considered. In 1875, a vaccination
ordinance passed and in 1878, there was a very large public health ordinance passed governing sewers and water, processing of meat, creating taxing
districts for hospitals, etc. In volume 2, covering 1884-1892, a medical service was established in 1886 and there were ordinances for Asian and
non-Asian immigrants. Volume 3 covered 1893-1898. In 1893, a lengthy ordinance set up the Supreme Court and in 1894, the Magistrate's Court. The Demerara
railroad needed help and the company and trading laws were revised. Volume 4 covered 1899-1905. In 1899, an electric company was incorporated. In
1902, an ordinance tried to protect aboriginal Indians. In 1908, there was a mining ordinance. Pensions for government employees and widows and orphans
in general were considered in all the volumes. The government had to set up a mechanism to handle an unusual bequest of funds to support 10 native
orphans every year. In 1904, ordinance No. 7 was the enabling act to research and publish this set. In 1905, a traveling magistrate system was
created. At the end of volume 5 are Appendices A-P, including a list of Imperial Statutes related to colonies. Volume 5 is the chronological table of
laws, p. 3-161 and a topical index to the entire set, p. 165-415.
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Title:
The laws of British Guiana.
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OCLC Number:
681107809
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Available Volumes
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