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the occasion of a case at the Supreme Court in which the London Missionary Society were concerned, the Chief Justice, Sir GEORGE PHILLIPPO, declared, that the Missionary Societies in Hongkong could not suit, as they were not recognized as Incorporated, and that it was necessary that they should apply to the Legislature which could by an Ordinance give the Trustees the power to sell. Doubts arose therefore for the first time in Hongkong as to whether the Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith are entitled to mortgage and sell the said land and premises. The doubts which have arisen caused great damages to the Sacred Con- gregation of Propaganda, and put them in a very great financial embarrassment, the works of the new Cathedral being urgent and it being impossible to stop them. We applied therefore to the Local Legislature for a Bill to empower the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda to mortgage and to sell the said Lot 50; but the Attorney General declared that the Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith was a mere aggregate of persons having no legal standing, and before the law not existent, that nothing therefore short of an Incorporating Act could be of any value, and that it was necessary to refer this matter for the instructions of your Lordship before legislating in the Colony. His Excellency Sir George Bowen, the present Governor, is very much interested on our behalf, but the Government is obliged to follow the advice of the Attorney General. We have the assurance that His Excellency the Governor is well disposed to recommend the matter to the immediate and favorable consideration of your Lordship.
Therefore we earnestly apply to you, Right Honourable Sir, praying that your Lordship would kindly authorize the Legislature of Hongkong to pass a measure of the kind desired.
Besides Lot 50 we have several other properties in Hongkong, some in the name of the Catholic Authorities of the time being as Trustees of the Sacred Con- gregation of the Propagation of the Faith, and some in the name of the Prefects and Vicars Apostolic and their successors. If we could have a Bill comprehending all the different properties it would do better; but, at any rate, the most urgent is the present case of Lot 50. The longer the present state of things lasts, the greater will be the damages inflicted on the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda.
We have already informed the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda in Rome of the case and we have sent to them a certified copy of the Crown Lease, Lot 50. We need not mention that we have made Hongkong the Head Quarter of the Catholic Missions in China; large capitals have been invested in the Colony by the Roman Catholic Mission, and it would be quite disadvantageous both to the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda and to the English Government, were we to place our funds elsewhere. Therefore, we strongly urge the matter, and we have no doubt your Lordship will cause at your earliest convenience the Sacred Congrega- tion of Propaganda to be placed in Hongkong in a legal position, and to put an end to the very disagreeable position we have been reduced to.
The Right Honourable
I have, &c.,
(Signed),
JOHN T. RAIMONDI,
Bishop of Acantho and Vicar Apostolic of Hongkong.
PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES,
&c.,
fc.