31st July 1844
Present His Excellency the Governor
The Honorable Major General D'Aguilar
The Honorable The Chief Justice
The Honorable Frederick Bruce
The Honorable Major Caine
Read for the first time Ordinance No. 16 of 1844 entitled "An Ordinance for "establishing a Registry of the Inhabitants of the Island of Hongkong and its "Dependencies."
(signed) J. F. Davis
Read and approved
this 14th day of August 1844
(signed) A. E. Shelley
Clerk of the Council.