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Government. If I am informed arighet, this practice arose and was continued, mainly because the -last two Ministers at Peking ( Sir Thornas Wade and Sir Harry Parker) had

resided for me any years at Hongkong, and were personally acquainted with the general state

formerly

of affairs here, and with the leading

the Chamber of Commerce.

Imembers

f

However, the late Sir Harry Parker felt that theis practice was irregular and might lead to grave public Linconvenience, whenever a new Minister should be appointed to Cling who would succesvarily be imperfectly informed respecting their Colony,

and

and the character and statues

of

the

Inercantile community here, hot

-long before his sudden and lamented death, Sir Harry

Parkes, in auten nofficial letter.

to the offered to require theat all

Communications to him from the Chamber

of

Commerce should pass

Aterougle the Governor, in the spirit-

of the Regulations. I then replied. (also unofficially ) that I had no personal feeling about the matter;

that no serious inconvenience would

be probable during Sir Harry Parkes terms of office, owing to his full. is fell knowledge of then and things in

་་-ན་

theis Colony; though his successors

would be de

differently situated, and

right

iPage 271

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