CO129-265 - Public Offices & Others - 1894 — Page 253

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to those contemplated by Her Majesty's Government.

That the Colonial Office and Board of Trade

were in the meanwhile consulted with a view to the

preparation of a Draft Ordinance To be passed by

the Legislature of Hong Kong for the enforcement

of the proposed Regulations.

That the Board of Trade had now communicated

a Memorandum which they had received from their

Solicitor stating that he had been unable to sat-

isfy himself that the Government of Hong Kong had

any power under the Chinese Passenger Act of 1885

to make Regulations in respect of vessels proceed-

ing to sea on voyages of less than seven days du-

ration.

That the reasons for this view were fully set

forth in the memorandum by Mr Murton C.B. which

accompanied the Board of Trade latter of July 10th.

That this Memorandum was subsequently con-

sidered in conference by the legal advisers of the

Colonial and Foreign Offices respectively who con-

curred generally in the views expressed by Mr Murton,

and it had therefore been considered desirable to re-

submit the papers to us in order to obtain our opin-

ion on the specific point raised in his Memorandum.

and in the event of that view of the construction of

the Act being considered correct, on the further

question, whether a short amending Act should not be

passed, or some other, and if so, what stepe should

be taken to confer upon the Government of Hong Kong

the powers necessary to enforce Regulations of the

nature desired.

That the papers previously submitted to our

predecessors which included a copy of the Chinese

Passenger Act of 1855 were sent for convenience of

reference

Mr Bertie further stated that he was to request

that we would take the papers into our consideration

and that we would favour Your Lordship with our

opinion on the questions submitted in his letter,

and with any general observations which we might

have to offer on the matter.

We have taken the papers into our consideration

and

and