THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, SEPTEMBER 2, 1939.
Hong Kong.
LETTERS PATENT passed under the Great Seal of the Realm. amending the Letters Patent of the 14th of February, 1917, constituting the office
of
Governor and
Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Hong Kong and its Dependencies.
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Dated 29th June, 1939.
GEORGE THE SIXTH, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India :
To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting!
Letters
February,
WHEREAS by certain Letters Patent under the Great Seal, Recites bearing date at Westminster the Fourteenth day of February, Patent of 1917 (hereinafter referred to as the Letters Patent of 14th 1917), as amended by Letters Patent bearing date the 1917 and Thirtieth day of April, 1938, the office of Governor and 30th April, Commander-in-Chief in and over Our Colony of Hong Kong and its Dependencies is constituted :
AND WHEREAS We are minded to amend the Letters
Patent of 1917 in the manner following:
Now Know YE that We do hereby declare Our will and pleasure as follows:
1938.
I. Article XVII of the Letters Patent of 1917 is hereby Revokes revoked, and the following Articles are substituted therefor: and replaces
Article XVII of Letters Patent of 1917.
to Govern- ment.
XVII. Whenever the office of Governor is vacant, Or "Succession the Governor is absent from the Colony, or is from any cause prevented from, or incapable of, acting in the duties of his office, then such person as may be appointed under the Royal Sign Manual and Signet, or, if there shall be no such person or the person so appointed shall be absent from the Colony or prevented from, or incapable of, acting as aforesaid, then the person lawfully discharging the functions of Colonial Secretary, or if there shall be no person discharging such functions, then the senior member of the Executive Council actually present in the Colony, shall. during Our pleasure administer the Government of the Colony, first taking the Oaths hereinbefore directed to be taken by the Governor and in the manner herein prescribed; which being done, We do hereby authorise, empower, and command such person, to do and execute, during Our pleasure, all things that belong to the office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief, as provided in these Our Letters Patent :
"Provided that the Governor or the person appointed as aforesaid, when visiting any neighbouring territories in the exercise or discharge of any powers or duties by these Letters Patent or otherwise conferred or imposed upon him by Us, or through one of Our Principal Secretaries of State, shall not be regarded as absent from the Colony for the purposes of this Article.
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