J
No.
.74.
Hongkong.
Government House,
Hongkong, 29th February,
251
C.O.
12:75
J
100
1904.
Sir,
I have the honour to transmit for the
signification of His Majesty's pleasure Ordinance No. 1 of
1904 entitled an Ordinance to provide for the Recovery of
Charges incurred on account of imbecile persons introduced
into the Colony, with the usual report by the Attorney-General
thereon.
Enclosure 1.
(In duplicate.)
(With two spare copies.)
Enclosure 2. 26th February, 1904
2.
I may explain that a good deal of trouble
and some expense has in the past been thrown upon this Govern-
ment in consequence of this class of person having been landed
in Hongkong, while as you are probably aware the accommodation
in the Lunatic Asylum is very limited, being at times insuffi-
cient for the reception of persons domiciled in the Colony
and having a prior claim to admission.
3.
The Ordinance was introduced into the
Legislature at the instance of Sir Henry Blake and with the
concurrence of the Executive Council as far back as July, 1903,
but owing to various suggestions for extending the scope of the legislation contemplated, but mainly to the absence from
the Colony of the Member nominated by the Chamber of Commerce,
its final enactment has been delayed.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
ALFRED LYTTELTON, K.C., M.P.,
2cc..
&C..
80...
4.