CO885-(13-15) — Page 735

3626.

SIR.

No. 15.

*

(SOUTH AFRICA.)

LAW OFFICERS TO COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received February 1, 1900.)

Law Officers' Department, Royal Courts of Justice, February 1, 1900.

WE were honoured with your commands signified in Mr. Bertram Cox' letter of the 31st ultimo, stating that, with reference to our Report of the 24th ultimo,* on the subject of the shares in the Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway Company held by the Government of the South African Republic, he was directed by you to inform us that it was considered desirable to prevent the sale or transfer of these shares by the Government of the South African Republic, and that he was to inclose the form of a letter which it was proposed to address to the Secretary of the Railway Company in accordance with the opinion expressed by us in the Report above referred to.

That Mr. Beram Cox was to request us to report—

1. Whether the terms of the draft letter were fit and proper for the

if not, what alterations or additions should be inserted.

purpose, and

2. By whom should the letter be signed. It was presumed that the letter should he sent by the Home Office.

3. In the event of the Company refusing to comply with the request contained

in the letter, what steps should be taken to compel the Company to carry out the requirements of Her Majesty's Government.

In obedience to your comarinds, we have the honour to

REPORT.

1. That we have settled and approved the form of letter to the Railway Company.

2. The letter should be signed by a Secretary of State, and, as the Company is in England, and the register here, either by the Home Secretary or the Prime Minister.

3. In the event of the Company refusing to give the undertaking, an er officio infor- mation should be filed on behalf of the Crown, and an application made to restrain the Company from parting or dealing with the shares.

We have, &c.

RICHARD E. WEBSTER. ROBERT B. FINLAY.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O. 885

Reference :-

15 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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SIR,

It has been brought to the notice of Her Majesty's Government that the Governnient of the South African Republic are the registered proprietors in this country of 299,0007, in shares, in the Pretoria -Pietersburg Railway Company. I have, therefore, to give you notice that Her Majesty's Government claim these shares as being the property of an enemy Government, and to request you to give me the undertaking of the Company that they will not, without the sanction of Her Majesty's Government, permit such shares to be transferred or in any way dealt with.

I am to request you, at the earliest possible moment, to furnish me with the above undertaking

The Secretary,

Pretoria-Pietersburg Railway Company.

No. 11.

R. E. W.

R. B. F.

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