Extradition Cases arising in the Colonies were facilitated by conferring on the Police Magistrates, as in England, the duty of taking the preliminary evidence and committing the fugitive to prison, subject to proceedings by Habeas Corpus before the Supreme Court for his release; and to limit the functions of Governor in regard to the requisition to the magistrate to issue the Warrant of apprehension, and to the final granting of the warrant of Extradition when necessary.
This improvement in the administration of Extradition Law in Colonies under the Imperial Act 1870 was first introduced by the New Zealand Act 38 Vict. C. 83, a copy of which was transmitted to the Hong Kong Government by Lord Carnarvon, as referred to in the despatch mentioned earlier.