8th March, 1853.
Present
His Excellency The Governor
The Honorable the Chief Justice
The Honorable the Colonial Treasurer
The Honorable J. F. Edger, Esqre
The Honorable the Attorney General was also present as legal adviser to the Government.
The Minutes of the last Council were read and approved.
The Governor stated his desire of appointing Mr. Hillier, Chief Magistrate of Police, a Member of this Council, in the room of the Attorney General removed to the Executive. Mr. Hillier being in attendance was summoned before the Council, and the usual Oaths of Office being administered to him by the Governor, he took his seat accordingly at the Council Board.
The Governor laid on the table three letters which he, as Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, had recently received from Consul Bowring at Canton, being:
No. 32, of 26th February 1853, referring to his letter No. 116 of 14th July 1851, and representing that a Subpoena duces tecum issued from the Supreme Court of Hongkong had been sent to the Consulate for service on a Merchant at Canton, and requesting instructions on the subject.
No. 33, of 28th February, 1853, inclosing Copy of a letter from Mr. George Urmson, complaining of a Subpoena having been served upon him to attend the Supreme Court at Hongkong.
And No. 34, of 2nd March, 1853, inclosing a Memorial from the British Community at Canton complaining of the grievance of being compelled to give personal attendance in the Courts of Hongkong.
The subject matter of these letters was then discussed, and the Council decided that the same should lie over for further consideration at a subsequent meeting, but that, in the mean time, a reply be given to the Canton Community pointing out that as the present case was peculiar, the question already well considered, the occurrence of similar inconvenience unlikely, and the Home Government moreover, (as was intimated to the Council by His Excellency), having it in contemplation to revise the Consular Jurisdiction and that of the Supreme Court, it was unnecessary to make at present any alteration in the existing system.
(Signed) S. G. Bonham.
Read and approved this 28th day of June, 1853.
(Signed) L. d'Almada e Castro,
Clerk of Councils.