一
2
COPY.
No. 964/1908.
C.O
17692
REC?
R 26 MAY 3
5
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 17th. April, 1913.
Gentlemen,
With reference to Mr. White's recent inter- -view with the Assistant Colonial Secretary, I am directed to inform you that acting under instructions from the Secretary of State for the Colonies the Governor is unable to grant a licence for the embarkation of contract emigrants from any port / outside the Colony in a British ship for conveyance to Samoa.
In this connection I am to state for your information that in the opinion of the Law Officers of the Colony if a British ship without such licence proceeded to carry contract emigrants from Swatow to Samoa Sections 6, 7, 8, 9 and
10 of the Chinese Passengers Act, 1855, could be brought into
operation and the ship would be liable to be forfeited under
section 8 of that Act.
(sd.) F.
I am etc.,
A. M. Thomson,
Colonial Secretary.
Messrs. Douglas, Lapraik & Co.,
Agents,
Douglas Steamship Co., Ltd.