in front of the
241
and Legislature that the fines
inflicted are in very many cases
too heavy, I do not see that any
exception could be taken to an
intimation to this effect being
made to the Magistrates by the
Government. In this country under
analogous circumstances it is not
unprecedented for the Secretary
of State to intimate his views by
Circular to Justices.
It may well be that in
the Legislation of Hongkong and
other Colonies, the English scales
have been followed too closely,
without due regard to the differ-
ence in the incomes of the mass
of the people in one place and
the other, and thus what was
primarily intended by the law as
a pecuniary mulct becomes of ne-
cessity a deprivation of liberty.
If you see fit you may treat this despatch as a public
one.
I have, &c.