138.
(Inclosure 1 in Mr. Fox's despatch No. 54 of October 21st.) 1908.
42629
DEC 7 1900
Government House, Hongkong,
19th October 1908.
569
Sir,
With reference to the last paragraph but two of your despatch No. 136 of the 9th instant, I have the honour to state that I in no way hold myself responsible for the views expressed by the Chief Justice. The original letter of request was communicated to you by the Registrar of the Supreme Court of this Colony without reference to myself; and, when you returned it to me, the Chief Justice maintained that since it was a legal process of his Court, it was a matter between His Honour and yourself in your judicial capacity, and requested that the documents should be sent back to you. I accordingly returned the documents to you pending the expression of your views, but my action was not intended to in any way endorse the views of the Chief Justice, which seemed to me untenable from the first.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient servant,
To His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General,
CANTON.
(Sgd.) F.D. Lugard.