Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 45 Part 2.djvu/973

 TREATY-LATVIA. APRIL 20,1928. 2649 Upon the death, incapacity, or absence of a consular officer having InTarmstroBot (talk) 01:06, 7 January 2012 (UTC)la~f o~ no subordinate consular officer at his :{lost, secretaries or chancellors, cers. whose official character may have prevIously been made known to the Government of the State where the consular function was exercised, may temporarily exercise the consular function of the deceased or incapacitated or absent consular officer; and while so acting shall enjoy all the rights, prerogatives and immunities granted to the incumbent. ARTICLE XXI. Consular officers, nationals of the State by which they are ap- .1fseal~g! wit'tecfffi • pointed, may, within their respective consular districts, address the ~':m~engi~ns authorities, National, State, Provincial or Municipal, for the purpose of protecting their countrymen in the enjoyment of their rights accru- ing by treaty or otherwise. Complaint may be made for the infrac- tion of those rights. Failure upon the part of the proper authorities to grant redress or to accord protection may justify interposition through the diplomatic channel, and in the absence of a di:plomatic representative, a consul general or the consular officer statIOned at the capital may apply directly to the government of the country. ARTICLE XXII. Consular officers may, in pursuance of the laws of their own b Notarial &ets, etc., country, take, at any appropriate plape within their respective yconsularofficers. districts, the depositions of any occupants of vessels of theIr own Depositions, etc. country, or of any national of, or of any person having permanent residence within the territories of, their own country. Such officers may draw up, attest, certify and authenticate unilateral acts, deeds. and testamentary dispositions of their countrymen, and also con- tracts to which a countryman is a party. They may draw up attest, certify and authenticate written lDstruments of any kind purporting to express or embody the conveyance or encumbrance of property of any kind within the territory of the State by which such officers are appointed, and unilateral acts, deeds, testa- mentary dispositions and contracts relating to property situated, or business to be transacted within, the territories of the State by which they are appointed, embracing unilateral acts, deeds, testa- mentary dispositions or agreements executed solely by nationals of the State within which such officers exercise their functions. Instruments and documents thus executed and copies and trans- ~:ec~i ~f consular lations thereof1.. when duly authenticated under his official seal by au en ca ons. the consular o111cer shall be received as evidence in the territories of the High Contracting Parties as original documents or authen- ticated copies, as the case may be, and shall have the same force and effect as if drawn by and executed before a notary or other public officer duly authorized in the country by which the consular officer was appomted; provided, always, that such documents shall have been drawn a~d executed in conformity to the laws and regulations 0If the country where they are designed to take effect. ARTICLE XXIII. A consular officer shall have exclusive jurisdiction over contro- Consular authority . . . tfth.tidf.te I f h' in shlppwg con trover- versles anslDg OU 0 e lD erna or er 0 prlva vesse SOlS sies. cou.ntry, and shall alone exercise jurisdiction in cases, wherever arising, between officers and crews, pertaining to the enforcement of diSCIpline on board, provided the vessel and the :persons charged with wrongdoing shall have entered a port withm his consular district. Such an officer shall also have jurisdiction over issues

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