CO882-(8-9) — Page 50

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

33

1. Mr. Van der Stadt, Manager of the Dutch Bank, says that he is ready to provide good investments for $2,500,000.

2. Mr. H. Payne-Galwey, of Fraser and Company, Brokers, will prove the accuracy of his firm's weekly share-lists; and

3 and 4. Clerks from the Registries of Deeds at Singapore and Penang, will produce the particulars of the mortgage and other investments as above referred to.

POSSIBLE FOREIGN COMPETITION.

This subject, also a very important one, is receiving immediate consideration. Foreign It is in contemplation to obtain from the Federated Malay States the services of a competi Mr. Kenny, who has had some experience of harbour engineering, with the object tion. of examining and reporting upon the present and projected docking and wharfage accommodation, and the shipping returns in respect thereof at the different ports which may be possible competitors with Singapore in the near future; and also to. obtain, if possible, comparative rates of charges.

Advice is requested as to whether this would efficiently supply the alternative of bringing witnesses from each of such ports. It would certainly be vastly more economical and the alternative might possibly be a dangerous one.

Again, alternating advice is requested as to how far, if at all, the Court would be willing to receive evidence on this hand of a nature which would not strictly be

any, will probably

admissible in a Court of Law.

Indeed it may here be conveniert to inquire as to what rules, if be observed by the Court in the reception or rejection of evidence. The Colony's law of evidence is codified in the Evidence Ordinance of 1893, but Section 1 thereof expressly provides that it does not apply to arbitrations. Section 12 of the Expropria. tion Ordinance incorporates the provisions of so much of the Arbitration Ordinance of 1890 as enables evidence to be given on oath, but the question is to what extent will hearsay be admitted.

ACCOUNTANTS.

Accoun-

Here the ground has not yet been broken except by Mr. Tomlinsor, most of the foregoing observations on the figures and indeed on the whole matter being the result tants. of his inspections. A local firm, Messrs Derrick and Llewellyn have been retained, but have not yet been able to start work, and it would probably now be convenient to postpone their doing so until the approaching arrival of the long expected experts from home to render assistance in this direction. Mr. Derrick is himself one of the Auditors of the Company's accounts for the current half-year, January to June, 1905.

Singapore,

July 5, 1905.

$96937

(..

8

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO