CONFIDENTIAL
Government House,
Hongkong, 3rd October, 1907.
My Lord,
As at present advised I am not clear that it is advisable to consider the change of the title of Registrar-General, but I shall be prepared to further discuss it hereafter if and when you desire.
I have the honour to inform Your Lordship that in May last the Registrar-General asked that the status and duties of the office he holds as adviser to the Government in matters affecting the Chinese community and as the medium of communication between that community and the Government should be authoritatively defined with the sanction of the Secretary of State.
Mr. Brewin assigned as one reason for his request that owing to the incongruity between the title of his office and the duties recognised as appertaining to it (and in this connection I would refer Your Lordship to the Earl of Kimberley's Despatch No. 177 of the 27th December, 1881), there was danger of the special nature of the duties to which I have alluded being overlooked or forgotten, and of friction arising between the incumbent of the office and the Heads of other Departments.
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
THE EARL OF ELGIN, K.G.,
&C.
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38669
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