12
into the Legislative Council an
Ordinance to
impose Stamp Duties
in lieu of the fees payable to the Emigration Officer of Hongkong-
which
was
unanimously passed.
of
I beg to enclose herewith a copy of that Ordinance (No. 13 of 1872) and the report thereon by the Attorney General.
Your Lordship will observe
that the Ordinance has been passed without a suspending clause. This did not appear to be
necessary
as it is
purely
local in its operation, and was drawn, as I have stated, under Your Lordship's instructions.
Enclosure No. 3.
With reference to Mr. Hansell, I transmit a copy of a letter which I have received from him, by which Your Lordship will perceive that he proposes
to repay at an early date those fees which he had retained to his own use, and which amounted to $450. When that shall have been done he will have reaped no pecuniary benefit from the operation of the Ordinance.
The enclosed Return (Enclosure No. 2)
shows the amount of fees collected by the Emigration Officer.