An Act to make provision with respect to the British Mercantile Marine Uniform.
[19th August 1919]
Whereas by an order dated the fourth day of September, nineteen hundred and eighteen, His Majesty in Council was pleased to prescribe a uniform to be worn by the British mercantile marine (which uniform, and any other or further uniform which may hereafter be prescribed by Order in Council in connection with the British mercantile marine, is in this Act referred to as the British mercantile marine uniform):
And whereas it is expedient to prohibit the wearing of such uniform by unauthorised persons, and to make such other provision's in relation thereto as are hereinafter contained :
Be it therefore enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
(1)If any person, not being entitled to wear the British mercantile marine uniform, wears that uniform or any part thereof, or any dress having the appearance or bearing any of the distinctive marks of that uniform, he shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five pounds, or, if he wears it in such a manner or under such circumstances as to be likely to bring contempt on the uniform, to a fine not exceeding ten pounds or to imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term not exceeding one month:
Provided that this section shall not prevent any person from wearing any uniform or dress in the course or for the purposes of a stage play or representation, or a music-hall or circus performance if the uniform is not worn in such a manner or under such circumstances as to bring it into contempt.
(2)If any person entitled to wear the British mercantile marine uniform when aboard a ship in port or on shore appears dressed partly in uniform and partly not in uniform under such circumstances as to be likely to bring contempt on the uniform, or, being entitled to wear the uniform appropriate to a particular rank or position, wears the uniform appropriate to some higher rank or position, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five pounds.
Where the Board of Trade have, whether before or after the passing of this Act, registered under Part II. of the [7 Edw. 7. c. 29.] Patents and Designs Act, 1907, any design forming part of the, British mercantile marine uniform, the Board of Trade shall, notwithstanding anything in section fifty-three of that Act, have a perpetual copyright in the design so long as it remains on the register.
This Act may be cited as the British Mercantile Marine Uniform Act, 1919.