542
The Magistrate forfeited the opium and there was no appeal naturally and Mr. Logan was respondent. I did not appear for the Government as I considered the decision wrong. Government prosecution. When the Magistrate forfeited the opium the Company claimed a share of the proceeds. When the Extreme Court reversed the Magistrate's decision the Company threw their own officer overboard to speak and declined to pay the costs ordered by the Court of Appeals to be paid by Logan the respondent.
They tried, in my opinion most unjustifiably, to make the Government pay the costs of the appeal and of course failed in their attempt.
H. Meigh Goodman
14th Decr. 1893.
Attorney General.
Enclosure 3.
Secretary, General Chamber of Commerce to Colonial Secretary.
Sir,
Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce,
Hongkong 4th December 1895.
I am instructed by my Committee to forward you copy of a letter, dated 18th August last from the Secretary of the Hong Kong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Co. Ltd., and Messrs Butterfield & Swire, Agents of the China Navigation Co. Ltd., in which they refer to this Chamber and make complaint they have to make of the oppressive nature of the opium Ordinance as regards the restoration of confiscated ...