CO885-(10-11) — Page 84

2777.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

ཟ「 ༄། ། ། ། །།

Reference :-

C.O.

885

MY LORD Duke,

No. 60.

(TURKS' ISLANDS.)

QUEEN'S ADVOCATE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

Doctors' Commons, March 25, 1861.

I AM honoured with your Grace's commands, signified in Sir Frederic Rogers' letter of the 7th March instant, stating that with reference to my letter of the 21st August last*, reporting upon the "Turks' Island Ordinance" No. 4 of 1860, in No. 11, which I stated that as it was unaccompanied by any explanation, I was unable to 18. advise its confirmation by Her Majesty in its present state, he was directed to transmit to me, for my report, copy of a Despatch from the Governor of Jamaica, with one from the President of the Turks' Islands forwarding remarks upon the Ordinance from Judge Duncombe.

In obedience to your Grace's commands, I have taken this matter into consideration, and have the honour to

Report

That considering the explanations now forthcoming and especially the statement of the President Inglis in his letter to the Governor of Jamaica of December 20th, 1860, "that the President has the power to excuse the payment of any penalty under this Ordinance, and that therefore none would be enforced except in case of wilful neglect to comply with the law" I see no reason why the Ordinance should not be recommended for confirmation by the Queen.

In expressing this opinion I assume that the penalties will in practice only be enforced in cases of wilful and deliberate attempts to defraud the revenue.

I have, &c.

To the Right Hon, the Duke of Newcastle,

(Signed) J. D. HARDING.

&o.

&c.

p_19273-915, 35-3/86.

1

&c.

No. 30.

10

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