395
refuse to pay
the fare.
section 207 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1894 applies to rea-going ships and the Magistrate, Mr. Wodehouse, held that Ordinance N. 22 of 1890 only applies to persons leaving this Colony not to those coming to it.
It scans, therefore, just to afford the River Steamers come
pro. tection from persons who endeavour to defraud them of the passage money to this Colony.
W. Meigh Goodman, Attorney General.
Copy
Enclosure 3.
Joint Letter from the River Skamboat
Companies.
Sir,
Stong
Kor
* June, 18795.
We, the undersigned, muure of River Steamers plying between the ports of Stongkong, Canton and Ma- beg to bring before you a mother
cao
which
seriously affects our business. On the 27th May last two Chinese were charged before Mr. Hode. house, Magistrate, for refusing to pay their fares on the Steamer atohan for passage from Canton to Stong hong
and were fined
fined to each
with alternative of imprisonment. On the 12th instant six men were
charged