No. 68.
REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFICE, VICTORIA, HONGKONG, 6th August, 1874.
SIR, I beg to transmit to you, for His Excellency's consideration, a letter from Mr. GRANVILLE SHARP, who proposes to let out two of his lots (Nos. 674 and 671) for the erection of pig-sties.
I apprehend that I ought to issue the licences required, and allow them to continue in force so long as the places are kept clean and no nuisance is created,
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
The Honourable the COLONIAL SECRETARY,
&c.,
&c.,
&c.
Referred to the Surveyor General.
7th August, 1874.
CECIL C. SMITH,
Registrar General.
MINUTE BY THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
J. G. AUSTIN,
Colonial Secretary.
MINUTE BY THE SURVEYOR GENERAL.
Honourable COLONIAL SECRETARY,
Public business connected with the licensing of places as pig-sties appertaining to the Department of the Registrar General, I would be obliged by your kindly referring this document to Mr. SMITH in the first instance. It is true that lately I have been prominently connected with pigs, but only indirectly so. Pig-sty nuisances had arisen from the inefficiency of Inspectors of Nuisances, and I undertook to explain and to make them understand what places were fit, and what places were not fit, from a sanitary point of view, for the reception of pigs. I think that soon they will thoroughly understand the matter and learn to act and judge for themselves, and that they will consequently become of somewhat more use to Mr. SMITH; then, of course, my services will not be required.
J. M. PRICE,
Surveyor General.
7th August, 1874.
MINUTE BY THE COLONIAL SECRETARY.
Referred to the Honourable Mr. SMITH.
J. G. AUSTIN,
Colonial Secretary.
10th August, 1874.
MINUTE BY THE REGISTRAR GENERAL.
I very much regret being wholly unable to understand why this letter, which I wrote myself, should be referred back to me. I cannot find anything in the Surveyor General's remarks calling for comment from me, except perhaps I may refer to the error which he has fallen into of supposing that I have anything whatever to do with the Inspectors of Nuisances.
11th August, 1874.
CECIL C. SMITH,
Registrar General.
P.S.—Mr. SHARP is anxiously waiting for an answer to his application.