CO129-258 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1893 [1-4] — Page 242

in front of the

241

and Legislature that the fines

inflicted are in very many cases

too heavy, I do not see that any

exception could be taken to an

intimation to this effect being

made to the Magistrates by the

Government. In this country under

analogous circumstances it is not

unprecedented for the Secretary

of State to intimate his views by

Circular to Justices.

It may well be that in

the Legislation of Hongkong and

other Colonies, the English scales

have been followed too closely,

without due regard to the differ-

ence in the incomes of the mass

of the people in one place and

the other, and thus what was

primarily intended by the law as

a pecuniary mulct becomes of ne-

cessity a deprivation of liberty.

If you see fit you may treat this despatch as a public

one.

I have, &c.