CO129-062 - Sir Bowring - 1857 [1-3] — Page 33

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

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The Bench respectfully begged to be made acquainted with the reasons of the Government for doing so, for the information and future guidance.

On the 11th instant we received a despatch & / a simple acknowledgement of the receipt of our letter of the 10th instant, and that appeared to indicate the intention of the Government to discontinue the correspondence, without affording the Bench the required information, a general meeting of the Justices was held on the instant, to take into consideration the correspondence which had taken place, and decide what further steps were necessary.

At that meeting we again appointed a committee for the purpose of placing the above correspondence in your hands, and of expressing the views of the Bench generally in connection with the circumstances.

We have therefore the honor to state that the Bench cannot consider the interception of the circular in question as an ordinary act of discourtesy which had best be left unnoticed; the Government must have had special reasons for pursuing the course it did, as that course could only be justified by something in the circular either contrary to the law or contrary to the practice.

The Bench cannot but consider the explanation offered by the Colonial Secretary an evasion of the question. No individual member of the Bench can possess power legally or honorably to intercept and withdraw from circulation a circular letter addressed to all the Justices. The Colonial Government may possess such power, but it seems to us...

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31 1 DE The Bench respectfully begged to be made acquainted with the reasons of the Government for doing so, for the information and future guidance. On the 11th instant we received a despatch & / a simple acknowledgement of the receipt of our letter of the 10th instant, and that appeared to indicate the intention of the Government to discontinue the correspondence, without affording the Bench the required information, a general meeting of the Justices was held on the instant, to take into consideration the correspondence which had taken place, and decide what further steps were necessary. At that meeting we again appointed a committee for the purpose of placing the above correspondence in your hands, and of expressing the views of the Bench generally in connection with the circumstances. We have therefore the honor to state that the Bench cannot consider the interception of the circular in question as an ordinary act of discourtesy which had best be left unnoticed; the Government must have had special reasons for pursuing the course it did, as that course could only be justified by something in the circular either contrary to the law or contrary to the practice. The Bench cannot but consider the explanation offered by the Colonial Secretary an evasion of the question. No individual member of the Bench can possess power legally or honorably to intercept and withdraw from circulation a circular letter addressed to all the Justices. The Colonial Government may possess such power, but it seems to us...
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31 1 DE пос time respectfully begged to be made acquainted with the reasons of the Government for to doing, for the information and future quida the Benah. Or the 11th instant we received fevalosure & / a simple acknentedgement of the reacipt of letter of the 10th instant, and that appeared to indicate the intention of the Government to discontine the correspondence, without afferding the Bench the required information, a general meeting of the Instires was held on the to the instant, to take into consideration the correspondence which had to ken place, and decide what further steps were H that meeting neecssary. mere me again appointed a committee for the purpose of placing the above correspondence in your hands, and of expressing the views of the Bench generally in } connection with the circumstances. We have т therefore the honor to state that the Bench cannot consider the interception of circular in question. the as an ordinary act of discourtesy which had best be left unnoticed; _ the Government must have had special reasons for pursuing it seems to us the course it did, as that that course. could only be justified by something in the circular either contrary to the law or contrary to the practive. au an The Bench cannot but consider the explanation offered by the Colonial Secretary evasion of the question. No individual member of the Bench can possess power legally or honer. ably to intercept and withdraw from circulation a circular letter addressed to all the Instices. The Colonial Government may possess ouch power, but it seems
2026-05-18 08:58:21 · Baseline
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31

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time respectfully begged to be made acquainted with the reasons of the Government for to doing, for the information and future quida

the Benah. Or the 11th instant we received fevalosure & / a simple acknentedgement of the reacipt of

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The Bench cannot but consider the explanation offered by the Colonial Secretary evasion of the question. No individual member of the Bench can possess power legally or honer. ably to intercept and withdraw from circulation a circular letter

addressed to all the Instices. The Colonial Government may possess ouch power, but it seems

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