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Harbour Master shall be empowered to receive and distribute, or pay into the Treasury, as the case may be, the estate of the deceased, without stamp duty. It should also be rendered compulsory upon the Masters of all passenger ships to register the deaths of passengers, to take charge of their effects, and to give due notice to the Harbour Master. The exact legislation necessary is pointed out in the report of the Attorney General. The reasons given by the Chief Justice why these duties should be imposed upon the Harbour Master seem to be convincing; and while the advice of the Committee of the Tung Wah Hospital might often be useful on questions of fact, it does not seem desirable to impose upon them semi-judicial functions altogether alien from their proper duties. Should these alterations in the law meet with Your Lordship's approval I shall at once cause the necessary amending bills to be laid before the Legislative Council.
With reference to paragraph 13 in Your Despatch, I am glad