CO129-247 - Acting Governor Fleming Governor Des Voeus - 1890 [10-12] — Page 232

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

M. Wingfield

als.

As to last sentences of your minute, see parr. 405 of 17273/90

18604/90 paper.

and minutes on

It seems to me

the latter

there will

be some considerable difficulty in framing a marriage law in harmony with Chinese customs & ideas, owing to the complicated question. As pointed

minute on 18604, out on p. 2 of my

law appears to be against bigamy,

Saving

to be absolute

clause, as in India, Ceylon

& the Straits, in favour of those

persons

whose religion permits

polygamy;

In view of the doubts

whether the Chinese religion

allows polygamy,

would it not be well to allow the

question of the registration of

their marriages

to sleep, until

it is raised by the Chinese themselves, and say nothing about it in answer to this despatch?

S.W. Or at any rate, write about it in a separate Confid. disp?? S. W. J. 6 Jan. 1891

Est 6 Jan 21.

[I think it is pertinent to stick to the present law in the

Bothell case,

We should be alert to the length of sampling

Hence, Except in cases where

a

marriage "between lovers which need

Either (Christian) have declared their authorization & Christian faith

* Except where the 2nd

Marriage is contracted outside the

Colony

by an alien

I did not mean to suggest

dealing with marriages of

Christians according to their own

custom but legislation catering to those who are not Christians to be curially married then the Register - I think there can

be no

harm

in asking the Governor whether the wanting legislation has been felt where it is all that the minutes

Draft

discuss

at we

Jan 6

K

9/1

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M. Wingfield als. As to last sentences of your minute, see parr. 405 of 17273/90 18604/90 paper. and minutes on It seems to me the latter there will be some considerable difficulty in framing a marriage law in harmony with Chinese customs & ideas, owing to the complicated question. As pointed minute on 18604, out on p. 2 of my law appears to be against bigamy, Saving to be absolute clause, as in India, Ceylon & the Straits, in favour of those persons whose religion permits polygamy; In view of the doubts whether the Chinese religion allows polygamy, would it not be well to allow the question of the registration of their marriages to sleep, until it is raised by the Chinese themselves, and say nothing about it in answer to this despatch? S.W. Or at any rate, write about it in a separate Confid. disp?? S. W. J. 6 Jan. 1891 Est 6 Jan 21. [I think it is pertinent to stick to the present law in the Bothell case, We should be alert to the length of sampling Hence, Except in cases where a marriage "between lovers which need Either (Christian) have declared their authorization & Christian faith * Except where the 2nd Marriage is contracted outside the Colony by an alien I did not mean to suggest dealing with marriages of Christians according to their own custom but legislation catering to those who are not Christians to be curially married then the Register - I think there can be no harm in asking the Governor whether the wanting legislation has been felt where it is all that the minutes Draft discuss at we Jan 6 K 9/1
Baseline (Original)
M. Wingfield als. As to last sentences of your minute, see parr. 405 of 17273/90 18604/90 paper. and minutes on It seems to me the latter there wild be some considerable difficulty in framing a marriage law in harmony with Chinese customs & ideas, cring to the corentine question. As pointe munte on 18604, out on p. 2 of my law appears 4Kang against bigamy, Saving to be absolute * off to have no clause, as in Judia, Ceglen & the Straits, in favour of those persons whose religion permits робудату; In view of the doubts whe then the fitte religion of the Chinese allows polygamy, would it not be well to allow thei question of the registration of their marriages to sleep, until, it is raised by the Chine Memselves, and say nothing about it in answer to this despatch S.W. Or at any rate, write about it in a separate Confid. disp?? S. W. J. 6 Jan. 1891 Est 6 fay 21. [ I think to pastein Stucking present in the Bothell case, Worch alert to the length of samping Heat there was no such thing Hences Except awaying އ a marriage "ming then loves which nee Either (Mistian an have decind their antization & Christian forced * Except where th 2nd nd Marri is contract outside the Colaghy an alien I did not mean to suffe dealing with marriages of hin 231 waz legislation think laws Christions aunding to their own or customer but legislation chatting terms who are not Itians to be curlly married then the Register - I think there can 10 h Lo hann arking the Groomer whether the wantinghal legislation has ben felt wheel is all that the minutes Drapi dacil at we Jans6 K 9/1
2026-05-26 12:02:44 · Baseline
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M. Wingfield

als.

As to last sentences of your minute, see parr. 405 of 17273/90

18604/90 paper.

and minutes on

It seems to me

the latter

there wild

be some considerable difficulty in framing a marriage law in harmony with Chinese customs & ideas, cring to the corentine question. As pointe

munte on 18604, out on p. 2 of my

law appears 4Kang against bigamy,

Saving

to be absolute

* off to have no

clause, as in Judia, Ceglen

& the Straits, in favour of those

persons

whose religion permits

робудату;

In view of the doubts

whe then the fitte religion of

the Chinese

allows polygamy,

would it not be well to allow thei

question of the registration of

their marriages

to sleep, until,

it is raised by the Chine Memselves, and say nothing about it in answer to this despatch

S.W. Or at any rate, write about it in a separate Confid. disp?? S. W. J. 6 Jan. 1891

Est 6 fay 21.

[ I think to pastein Stucking present in the

Bothell case,

Worch alert to the length of samping

Heat there was no such thing

Hences Except awaying

އ

a

marriage "ming then loves which nee Either

(Mistian an have decind their antization & Christian forced

* Except where th 2nd

nd Marri

is contract outside the

Colaghy

an alien

I did not mean to suffe

dealing with marriages of

hin

231

waz

legislation

think

laws

Christions aunding to their own

or customer but legislation chatting terms who are not Itians to be curlly married then the Register - I think there can

10

h

Lo

hann

arking the Groomer whether the wantinghal legislation has ben felt wheel is all that the minutes

Drapi

dacil

at we

Jans6

K

9/1

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