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in a position to prove the matter to the satisfaction of a Court of Law. It allears to the Board there-
fore that the Colony should provide some suitable machinery by which Masters might be enabled without much difficulty to prove that a vagrant was at the time of landing in possession of the means of susten- ance required. This might be done, for example, by the appointment of officials charged, on receiving an application from a Shipmaster, with the duty of in-
vestigating an alien's right to land, and provision
might at the same time be made that a Shipmaster
should be entitled to the assistance of the police in
keeping or returning unqualified immigrants on board
ship.
am therefore to surgest for the considera-
tion of Mr. Lyttelton that until some such machinery
as that proposed is provided or is shown to be im-
practicable, the Ordinance should not be allowed to
continue in operation. Should the provision of such
machinery be shewn to be impracticable I am to sug-
gest that it will be for consideration whether the
provisions of the Ordinance are so necessary in the
interests of the Colony that they should be allowed
to be enforced notwithstanding the restrictions which
they place upon the Shipping trade.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,