CO129-174 - Sir Kennedy - 1876 [4-8] — Page 238

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

abolished, its duties amalgamated with those of the Registrar General, or rather 2 distinct sets of duties in both cases were held by the same individual Officer.

It was not considered certain whether their arrangements would work permanently so nothing was done as to altering the Council. It was subsequently Mr. Smith, who held the combined office of Treasurer & Registrar General, was given a personal appointment to the Executive Council.

On General Colborne's discontinuing from his attendance at Council, for Mr. A. Kennedy and Mr. Alexander both recommended the personal appointment. ## Mr. Alexander to the Council, he was so appointed.

The last is now dead. Mr. Smithson leave, the Attorney General is temporarily acting for him, apparently without any formal appointment.

We are then asked no more on this matter.

I consider the personal qualifications of several individual gentlemen, but it is considered not unbecoming to criticize the liberality of a mandate.


237

I think we should be exposed to less difficulty if we could return to the practice of making the Executive Council consist solely of certain office holders; if a man is considered fit to hold an office conferring a seat in Council, he may fairly be assumed fit to sit there. Absences on leave and death vacancies do not then entail the raising of unnecessary questions.

The Surveyor General, being head of the great spending department of the Government, is probably not a bad candidate in Council; but I should think the office of Treasurer & Registrar General, assuming them to be now permanently suited for all practical purposes, is the more important of the two.

I should have thought it was rather insulting to the Chief Justice to put a puisne judge, a junior man, in a magisterial capacity.

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abolished, its duties amalgamated with those of the Registrar General, or rather 2 distinct sets of duties in both cases were held by the same individual Officer. It was not considered certain whether their arrangements would work permanently so nothing was done as to altering the Council. It was subsequently Mr. Smith, who held the combined office of Treasurer & Registrar General, was given a personal appointment to the Executive Council. On General Colborne's discontinuing from his attendance at Council, for Mr. A. Kennedy and Mr. Alexander both recommended the personal appointment. ## Mr. Alexander to the Council, he was so appointed. The last is now dead. Mr. Smithson leave, the Attorney General is temporarily acting for him, apparently without any formal appointment. We are then asked no more on this matter. I consider the personal qualifications of several individual gentlemen, but it is considered not unbecoming to criticize the liberality of a mandate. 237 I think we should be exposed to less difficulty if we could return to the practice of making the Executive Council consist solely of certain office holders; if a man is considered fit to hold an office conferring a seat in Council, he may fairly be assumed fit to sit there. Absences on leave and death vacancies do not then entail the raising of unnecessary questions. The Surveyor General, being head of the great spending department of the Government, is probably not a bad candidate in Council; but I should think the office of Treasurer & Registrar General, assuming them to be now permanently suited for all practical purposes, is the more important of the two. I should have thought it was rather insulting to the Chief Justice to put a puisne judge, a junior man, in a magisterial capacity.
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abolished, dits duties amalgamated with those of the Registrar General, or rather 2 distinct sets of duties in both cases were held by the same individual Sficen. it was not considered certain whether ThEIR so nothing arrangements would work permanently was done as to altering the Councile hat subsequally M. Smith, who held thold, the combined office of Ireamrer & depiction Ja.cral, was fiven a personal appointment- the Excentive Council On General Colborne's Midesisting from his attendanes at Council, for Aka, nedy A. Kannedy both recommended the personal appointinent - ## Mr. Alexander to the Councils, the was So appointed- The last is now dead. Mr. Smithson leave the Attorney General is temporarily, Alters- with a parently nohould act for him, the realt alpointalked We are then asked no moram. I consider the personce palifications of several individual gentleman, tit in considered not unbecoming to criticize the liberality of a mand Hipion Opinions 237 Ithink are should be exposed we to less difficulties, it we could return to the practice of making the Saccative Council consist sales of certain office holders; it a man is considered Sit- bhold, or fact in an office conferring a seat in Council_ he may fairly e astoned the fit to sit there, talonces assumed an s Fabsencer on leave & death incancies do not tien entail the raising of unnecessary, Jnections The Lurveyor General & perdense head of the great spending departumlet of the Government is probably not a bad kan ble in Council; hul-Ithould think the office of Treasurer & Registres General, assuming them to be now, uppermanently buited for all practical purposes, is the more important of the two. I should have thought it was rather insulting & the Chief Justice to put a ponimus judge, tetill man a price magiclinta-
2026-05-21 09:41:47 · Baseline
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abolished, dits duties amalgamated with those of the Registrar General, or rather

2 distinct sets of duties

in both cases

were held by the same individual Sficen.

it was not considered certain whether

ThEIR

so nothing

arrangements would work permanently was done as to altering the Councile hat subsequally M. Smith, who held thold, the combined office of Ireamrer & depiction Ja.cral, was fiven a personal appointment-

the Excentive Council

On General Colborne's Midesisting from his attendanes at Council, for Aka, nedy A. Kannedy

both

recommended the personal appointinent - ## Mr. Alexander to the Councils, the was So appointed-

The last is now dead. Mr. Smithson leave the Attorney General is temporarily, Alters- with a parently nohould act for him, the realt

alpointalked

We are then asked

no moram.

I consider the personce palifications of several individual gentleman, tit in considered not unbecoming to criticize the liberality of a mand

Hipion Opinions

237

Ithink are should be exposed

we

to less difficulties, it we could return

to the practice of making the Saccative Council consist sales of certain office holders; it a man is considered Sit- bhold, or fact in

an office conferring a seat in Council_ he may fairly e astoned the fit to sit there, talonces

assumed

an

s

Fabsencer

on leave & death incancies do not tien entail the raising of unnecessary,

Jnections

The Lurveyor General

& perdense

head of

the great spending departumlet of the Government is probably not a bad

kan ble in Council; hul-Ithould think the office of Treasurer & Registres General, assuming them to be now,

uppermanently buited for all practical purposes, is the more important of the two.

I should have thought it was rather insulting & the Chief Justice to put a ponimus judge, tetill man a price magiclinta-

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