Honourable Sir,
All the correspondence and papers relating to the case of Bridges, Acting Colonial Secretary, who was found guilty of grave misconduct, have been carefully perused. No one who reads the whole of the correspondence can doubt for a moment that the offence for which he was dismissed from office was a grave one. The Committee concurred in the decision to dismiss him, as justice demanded. They were unable to perceive the justice of indicting him along with the Chinese man who had bribed him, as this would be construed as a conspiracy.
At pp. 36-37 of the papers appears a report of the Commissioners appointed to investigate the conduct of Caldwell, J.P., Registrar, Protector of Chinese, and Licensee of Brothels. Although brief, the report highlights the main features of the case. Two Magistrates had conducted an inquiry into the conduct of Bridges, and their report, while mild compared to the offence, still censures him for grave misconduct. As a member of the Legislative and Executive Councils of Hong Kong, it is argued that he should have been removed from office.
Page 1213