SSE
322 A
WARRANT OF COMMISSION.
Whereas certain charges have been brought in the Legislative Council and in Official Documents by the Honourable THOMAS CHISHOLM ANSTEY, Esquire, Attorney General, against DANIEL RICHARD CALDWELL, Esquire, Registrar General, which necessitate an enquiry into the truth of such charges, and whereas such enquiry will be most conveniently and expeditiously prosecuted by means of a joint Commission of Officers of the Government, and Justices of the Peace: Now therefore know ye, that I, SIR JOHN BOWRING, Knight, L.L.D., Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Hongkong, and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same, do hereby under my hand and the Seal of the said Colony, appoint you, the Honourable CHARLES ST. GEORGE CLEVERLY, Esquire, Surveyor General for the said Colony, The Honourable HENRY TUDOR DAVIES, Esquire, Chief Magistrate for the said Colony, The Honourable GEORGE LYALL, Esquire, ANGUS FLETCHER, Esquire, and JOHN SCARTH, Esquire, Justices of the Peace for the said Colony, or any three of you, to be a Commission for instituting and prosecuting all needful and proper enquiries into the truth or otherwise of the underwritten charges; which embrace the accusations made by the Attorney General against the Registrar General; and to take evidence, but not upon oath, in the premises; and to report to me all evidence so taken by you, and also your opinions thereon. And I do hereby require you to commence your said enquiries forthwith, and to proceed therein continuously, and to make your Report to me as aforesaid with all reasonable despatch. And I do hereby empower you during the course and for the purposes of your said Commission, to obtain at the expense of the Government such professional or other assistance that you may deem necessary, and to demand and obtain access at all times to all and all manner of Papers, Records, and Documents, relating to the subject matter of the said Commission, and in the custody or under the control of the several public departments within this Colony, and from time to time to call before you and examine all persons superintending or employed in or under any of the said departments. And I do hereby charge all persons in the Public Service to be aiding and assisting unto you herein.
Given under my hand and under the Seal of the Colony of Hongkong,
at Victoria, in the said Colony, this Twentieth Day of May, A.D., One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty-Eight.
JOHN BOWRING.