12
The pamphlet is ably written, and is evidently the work of a person who knew his subject. A copy of the pamphlet is attached. (Appendix MA.*)
An interval of many years clapses before anything further is heard of the subject: and it is not until 1891 when the matter is once more brought up by the Chamber of Commerce.
On the 6th February, 1891, the Colonial Secretary (Mr. Fleming) sent to the Chamber of Commerce, for its consideration, a copy of a draft Bill* entitled an Ordinance to amend the law relating to Bankruptcy. (Appendix N.)
On the 22nd April, 1891, the Chamber of Commerce replied that the draft Bill sent to them "promised to be a valuable substitution of the Act it is intended to repeal : "but they are strongly of opinion that to render it more completely applicable to local requirements it should be preceded or supplemented by a Bill making compulsory the registration of individual members of Chinese firms trading in the Colony. In Sin- gapore, where business is largely in the hands of Chinese, registration of partnership in "connection with the administration of the bankruptcy laws has been urgently recom-
mended." (Sec Appelia O.)
C
The matter appears to have been allowed to rest until the 20th September, 1894, when the Acting Colonial Secretary (Mr. Stewart Lockhart) wrote to the Colonial Secretary at Singapore requesting to be furnished with copies of the new Ordinance dealing with registration of partnership and of any printed reports or papers connected therewith. (Appendix P.)
The Colonial Secretary at Singapore, in reply, forwarded on the 4th October, 1894, the following documents :--
1. Report of Comunittee of Inquiry, 1885.*
2. Report of Committee of Legislative Council, 1893.*
3. Report of Official Assignee in Baukruptcy, 1892, paragraph 25.*
4. Debate in Legislative Council, 23-2-1893, pp. 17-22.*
5. Letter of Secretary of Singapore Chamber of Commerce, 20-4-94, and
Report of Special Committee.*
6. Bill read for the first time.*
The Colonial Secretary added :-
*
"I may mention that the Bill for the Registration of Partnership has not yet passed its second reading in the Legislative Council.” (Appendix Q.)
On the 25th January, 1895, the Colonial Secretary (Mr. Stewart Lockhart) wrote to the Colonial Secretary at Singapore requesting him to furnish him with a copy of the Bill providing for registration of partnerships if it has become law, or, if not, to inform him as to the reasons for postponing the Bill. (Appendix R.)
On the 14th February, 1895, the Acting Colonial Secretary at Singapore (Mr. Talbot) stated in reply that "as the opinion of the Mercantile Community is much "divided on this subject, it has not yet been decided whether the Bill which has been read a second time will be proceeded with or not." A copy of the Bill was enclosed. (Appendix S.*)
On the 5th March, 1895, the Acting Chief Justice (Mr., now Sir, Edward Ackroyd) aildressel a letter to the Governor (Sir William Robinson) which will be found in Appendix T.
* Not printed.
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