540
The Attorney General's opinion was given under the following circumstances.
Mr. James Gye was formerly an Assistant in the Hongkong Dispensary. He was afterwards employed in the same capacity in the Firm of Messrs. Llewellyn in Shanghae. Thence he removed to Nagasaki and later on to Hiogo in Japan. From here he went across to San Francisco and while in this latter port obtained a medical diploma in the Pacific University and then came to Whampoa, a Chinese port lying between Hongkong and Canton, and here he practised the medical profession for three years and acted as Medical Officer to the Imperial Maritime Customs. Subsequently, he removed to Hongkong.
Soon after his arrival, my predecessor's attention was drawn to Mr. Gye's practising by one of the Colonial Physicians (Dr. Adams), whereupon Sir Arthur Kennedy gave instructions that in all cases where Medical Certificates are required at Government Offices, in reference especially to Emigrants and the discharge of seamen who may become chargeable to the Board of Guardians...