22
Y
The argument is that the Government have a perfectly legal position, and that it had up to the late September 1844 always been recognised by the Government. As to their violating the engagement between them and the Government, Counsel states that in his opinion they have "not done so, and finally as to interference, as the Committee have already pointed out the rules made as to admission were as much for the benefit of the Chinese as Europeans, and that too after consultation with many of its most respectable Chinamen in the Colony. They would further add that no complaint whatever as to these rules even reached them up to the time of their receiving the Colonial Secretary's letter on the 19th September 1849.
"That regulations such as those complained of are considered necessary in any other places where the native population far exceeds the European is shown by the fact that the following notice was at the time of the Governor's complaint posted outside the Raffles Museum at Singapore, which is an institution wholly under the control of the Straits Government.
The copy notice in the hands of the Committee runs in these words: - Notice
"In consequence of the large number of natives who now frequent the museum it has been found necessary to admit them from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. only when the upper floor will be closed for half an hour to allow of its being swept down and cleansed.
"The ... Dec.