No 987
Enclosure No 1
Inclemre No 2
My Lord
Government House,
Hongkong 11 April 1872
I have the honor to forward herewith two Ordinances, No 3 of 1872 and No 4 of 1872, recently passed by my Legislative Council, together with the opinions of the Acting Attorney General upon them. The former provides for the oral examination of prisoners by the presiding Judge or Magistrate before whom their trials take place, and the latter for the branding and flogging of criminals in certain cases. Both Ordinances being of a special character required suspending clauses, and will not therefore come into operation until Her Majesty's confirmation has been received.
The objects sought to be attained by these Ordinances
The Right Honorable
The Earl of Kimberley,
Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State