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declared that there shall be a Governor and Commander-in-chief (hereinafter called Our said Governor) in and over Our Colony of Hong Kong and its Dependencies (hereinafter called Our said Colony): And We have thereby authorized and commanded Our said Governor to do and execute, in due manner, all things that shall belong to his said command, and to the trust We have reposed in him, according to the several powers and authorities granted or appointed him by virtue of the said Letters Patent and of such Commission as may be issued to him under Our Sign Manual and Signet, and according to such Instructions as may, from time to time, be given to him, under Our Sign Manual and Signet, or by Our Order in Our Privy Council, or by Us through One of Our Principal Secretaries of State, and to such Laws as are or shall hereafter be in force in Our said Colony. Now, therefore, We do by these Our Instructions under Our Sign Manual and Signet, declare Our pleasure to be that Our said Governor for the time being shall, with all due solemnity, cause Our Commission, under Our Sign Manual and Signet, appointing Our said Governor for the time being, to be read and published in the presence of the Chief Justice for the time being or other Judge of the Supreme Court of Our said Colony, and of the members of the Legislative Council thereof: And We do further declare Our pleasure to be that Our said Governor, and every other Officer appointed to administer the Government of Our said Colony, shall take the Oath of Allegiance in the form provided by an Act passed in the Session holden in the thirty-first and thirty-second years of Our reign, intituled "An Act to Amend the Law relating to Promissory Oaths;" and likewise that he or they shall
Recites Letters Patent, dated March, 1877, constituting the office of Governor.
Publication of Governor's Commission.
Oaths to be taken by Governor, &c.
Imperial Act, 31 and 32 Victoria cap. 72.
Oaths to be administered by the Governor.
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take the usual Oath for the due execution of the Office of Our Governor and Commander-in-chief in and over Our said Colony, and for the due and impartial administration of justice; which Oaths the said Chief Justice for the time being of Our said Colony, or, in his absence, or in event of his being incapacitated, the Senior Judge, then present, or, failing such Judge, the Senior Member present of Our said Legislative Council shall, and he is hereby required to tender and administer unto him or them.
Executive Council, Constitution of.
II. And We do authorize and require Our said Governor from time to time, and at any time hereafter, by himself or by any other person to be authorized by him in that behalf, to administer to all and every person or persons as he shall think fit who shall hold any office or place of trust or profit, the said Oath of Allegiance, together with such other Oath or Oaths as may from time to time be prescribed by any Laws in that behalf made and provided.
III. And whereas by Our said Charter and by Our Letters Patent constituting the office of Governor We have authorized the Governor of Our said Colony for the time being to summon as an Executive Council such persons as might from time to time be named or designated by Us, in any Instructions or Warrant under Our Sign Manual and Signet, addressed to him in that behalf: Now We do, by these Our Instructions, declare Our pleasure to be that until otherwise ordered by Us, the said Executive Council shall consist of the Military Officer, for the time being in command of the regular troops in Our said Colony, and of the persons, for the time being, lawfully discharging the duties of ...
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