HM Waterguard

 

 

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Legislation & Regulations Governing The Work Of The Waterguard

 
     
 
 
 
 
         
 

Page contents:

     
 
         
 

The Acts of Parliament:

     
 

 

 
         

 

 

 

 

          This Act reduced the requirement for the master of a ship, to deliver to the Chief Officer of Customs a list of aliens in his ship, and the third section of the new Act said each alien passenger was now only required to present his passport to the Chief Officer of Customs, and to declare his name, the country of which he was a subject and the date and place of his landing. A copy of the first page of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'button' to the right.

 

 

          The Act stipulates that the construction of  the accommodation for Customs Officers, and their watchhouses or boathouses, huts and weighing materials shall be on a suitable spot within or near to the Harbour, Dock or Pier, and is to be to the satisfaction of the Commissioners. The Act also states that  the accommodation, watchhouses, boathouses, huts and weighing materials be kept in good and sufficient repair or the Harbours, Docks and Piers authority shall forfeit the Sum of One hundred Pounds for every Month during which they continue to be out of repair. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          The role of naval reserve and coast defence force was sealed when the Coast-guard Service Act (1856) passed control from the Board of Customs to the Admiralty. Though still available for revenue protection, Coastguards were trained to supplement naval crews and to take charge at wrecks and to save lives. The Board of Trade issued life saving apparatus to Coastguard stations, thus fulfilling its responsibility for safety at sea imposed by the 1854 Merchant Shipping Act. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          The Customs Officers' Manual, a 'Compendium of the Laws, Regulations & General Practice of the Out-Door Department' by William Alexander Sands, Examining Officer at Exeter, was published in April 1868 by Toker, Sweetland & Spicer, Printers, 226 High Street, Exeter. A copy of this manual can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          Another attempt at making sense of what was still 'an intricate and labyrinthine chaos of Custom House legislation' was made by this Consolidation Act. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          An Act to grant certain Duties of Customs - Tea - and Inland Revenue, and to amend the Laws relating to Customs, Inland Revenue, and Savings Banks. A copy of the Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          An Act to grant certain Duties of Customs and Inland Revenue, and to amend the Laws relating to Customs and Inland Revenue. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          An Act for the transfer of property held for the service of HM Customs to the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Works and Public Buildings. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          An Act to grant certain Duties of Customs and Inland Revenue, to alter other Duties and to amend the Laws relating to Customs and Inland Revenue. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          An Act to grant certain Duties of Customs and Inland Revenue, to alter other Duties and to amend the Laws relating to Customs and Inland Revenue. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          An Act to amend the law relating to the Customs and Inland Revenue, and to make other provisions respecting charges payable out of the public revenue, and for other purposes. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          An Act to amend the law relating to the Customs and Inland Revenue, and to the Audit of Public Accounts, and for other purposes connected with the Public Revenue and Expenditure. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          An Act to amend the Law relating to the Customs and Inland Revenue, and for other purposes connected with the Public Revenue and Expenditure. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'button's to the right.

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          An Act to grant certain Duties of Customs and Inland Revenue, to repeal and alter other Duties and to amend the Law relating to Customs and Inland Revenue. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          This Act made it compulsory for fishing boats to be registered (with Customs?) and their registration marks and numbers to be inscribed on the hull. A  copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          An Act to amend the Law relating to the Customs and Inland Revenue, and for other purposes connected with Finance. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          An Act to make certain amendments of the Law relating to Customs and Inland Revenue, and of the Law relating to the powers and duties of the National Debt Commissioners. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          The arrangements, approved by the Board of Customs, for certain provisions of the Aliens Act 1905 to be carried out by the Customs Department on behalf of the Home Office. These instructions, framed in concert with the Home Office, were issued for the guidance of Customs Officers as Immigration Officers. A copy of General Order 88/1905 introducing the Aliens Act of 1905 can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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        This Act transferred the management of Excise Duties and the associated powers and duties of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, to the Commissioners of Customs & Excise. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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        The 16 February 1909 London Gazette announcement of the Order in Council of the Finance Act 1908 can be seen by selecting the 'button' on the right

 

 

          An Act to amend the Law relating to Customs and Inland Revenue, and for other purposes connected with Finance. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          The 1920 Act prohibited the importation and exportation of certain dangerous drugs which included opium, cocaine, morphine and diamorphine save under licence granted by the Secretary of State.  The drugs to which the Act applied could be extended in future, by Order in Council, where such drugs were considered ‘likely to be productive, if improperly used, of ill effects . . . analogous to those produced by morphine or cocaine’. Breaches of the Act or any regulation made under it would be criminal offences. This Act, which was replaced by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1951, is still being researched in relation to the work of the Waterguard. A copy of General Order 88/1920 introducing the Act can be seen by selecting the 'button' to the right.

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          Following 'Partition' in 1923, these regulations laid out the requirements for persons and goods moving between the Irish Republic (Eire) and Northern Ireland (Ulster). A copy of these regulations can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          In 1923 the Coastguard were placed under the Board of Trade and its role restricted to life saving, salvage from wreck and the administration of the foreshore - the new force was sanctioned by the Coastguard Act of 1925. A copy of this Act can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          This Act, which concerned prohibitions and restrictions at the outbreak of World War II, can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          • Section 10 - Obstruction of officers, etc.
          • Section 44 - Forfeiture of goods improperly imported.
          • Section 45 - Penalty for improper importation of goods, etc.
          • Section 66 - Person entering or leaving United Kingdom to answer questions as to baggage, etc.
          • Section 67 - Power to require evidence in support of information.
          • Section 70 - Penalty for breaking seals, etc.
          • Section 71 - Penalty for signalling to smugglers.
  • Section 75 - Forfeiture of ships, etc. constructed etc. for concealing goods.
  • Section 274 - Provision as to the detention of persons.
  • Section 275 - Provisions as to detention, seizure and condemnation of goods, etc.
  • Section 277 - Forfeiture of ships, etc. used in connection with goods liable to forfeiture.
  • Section 279 - Penalty in lieu of  forfeiture of larger ships where responsible officer implicated in offence
  • Section 288 - Power of Commissioners to mitigate penalties, etc.
  • Section 296 - Power to search premises.
  • Section 297 - Power to search vehicles and vessels.
  • Section 298 - Power to search persons.
  • Section 301 - Untrue declarations, etc.
  • Section 304 - Penalty for fraudulent evasion of duty, etc.
 
     

          The above sections can be seen in more detail by selecting the 'button' to the right.

 
 
 

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          To deal with this new situation the British Government passed the Visiting Forces Act 1952 and HMC&E issued General Order 3/1954 which set out new and appropriate Customs procedures. A copy of the Visiting Forces Act of 1952 can be seen by selecting the 'buttons' to the right.

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          An Act to make provision for the incorporation of that part of Her Majesty's Dominions known as the Island of Rockall into that part of the United Kingdom known as Scotland, and for purposes connected therewith. A copy of the Act can be seen by selecting the 'button' to the right.

 

 
 
 

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          Clarification of the requirements for aircraft flying between the Isle of Man and Great Britain or Northern Ireland from 1956 were set out in OWO 20/1956 Part 2 which can be seen by selecting the 'button' to the right.

 

 

          The 1964 rules were introduced to the Waterguard by item 4 of OWO 6/1964, a PDF of which can be seen by selecting the 'button' to the right.

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          An 'Aide Memoir' used when administering a caution or when taking statements can be seen by selecting the 'button' to the right.

 

 

 

 

 
 

 
                 

  home  

history  

offices & buildings  

management structures  

pay & conditions  

recruitment  

training  

staffng & promotion  

the people  


the work  

uniforms  

tools & equipment  

 

stationary & stores  

legislation & regulations  

official instructions  

photos & images  

anecdotes  


     search the site  

how to contribute  

site credits  

 

help & FAQs  

recent additions  

customs journals  

the bond  

history network  

links  

                   
 
   
 

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TThe site is best viewed with a wide screen monitor set to a 32 bit colour display and using the Mozzila Firefox web browser, so  Firefox Download Button now!

This site was designed, and is maintained by Trevor Tomasin (ex APO - LAP) and dedicated to fond memories of my ' Waterguard' days.