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T. H. Whitehead to His Excellency the Governor.
Dear Sir Henry Blake,
C. O.
5525 155
RECD 8 FEB 1900
Hongkong, 28th December, 1899.
I returned this morning from my short holiday a day sooner than the leave applied for and granted owing to pressure of business which latter prevents my attending the Council meeting this afternoon.
I understand the Ordinance to provide for the summoning of Chinese before the Registrar General will be read a third time to-day. This is, I submit, a most important measure and imparts larger powers to the Registrar General than any possessed by the Supreme Court. It is in my opinion Class legislation and thoroughly unconstitutional. The Bill is being hurried through the Council with undue and unnecessary haste and I earnestly appeal to Your Excellency to postpone the third reading for a week to give time for further consideration. Were I able to be present at the meeting I would further move that a suspending clause be added whereby the Secretary of State's sanction would be required before the Ordinance could become law. In haste.
Yours very truly,
(Signed) T. H. Whitehead.
His Excellency
Sir Henry A. Blake, G.C.M.G.,
&c.
BC.
His Excellency the Governor to T. H. Whitehead.
Government House,
Hongkong, 28th December, 1899.
Dear Mr Whitehead,
I have this moment received your letter on my return from Legislative Council where the Ordinance mentioned by you