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levied by Government, are not possible, no complaints have been made against them. At present, however, I believe applicants require, from incidental necessity, to incur another expense, viz., for obtaining the Survey Measurement Report of Mr. J. Richett, one of the Surveyors of Shipping employed by Insurance Companies, and which is also required for Government Surveys as regards Emigration Ships, for which they have to pay. As it is, I think £16, and which involves the Harbour Master's certificate entailing £25, as above stated; these entailing an expense of £3.6.8 over and above what the Ordinance fixes as required. I think this is very objectionable; the charge is limited by Ordinance, and from what it may arise, when the Harbour Master cannot provide the document required of him, the public is made to pay for the overcharge.
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made to pay for the overcharge.
57. If anything has been and will be eminently beneficial to this Colony, it is that very system of granting Colonial Registers, particularly to respectable Chinese settled here, as the Ordinance says, "Chinese born here entitled to hold Colonial Registers", since it has already added to, and still tends to increase the coasting trade in goods the manufacture of Great Britain, or the produce of India, including Cotton Spun, &c., and on the other hand brings to this Colony more of the produce of China for export to Europe and India, transshipment to other parts of the coast of China.
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20. I do not know the Laws respecting the granting of Ships registers to Chinese in the Straits Settlements and ...