CO129-267 - Governor Sir Robinson - 1895 [4-6] — Page 217

It is essential that the dollar should be left

214

perfectly untrammelled and the Committee cannot but regaru

with disfavour so retrograde a measure as making legal its

defacement by the Chinese mode of chopping as is reported

to have been suggested to Her Majesty's Government. Legis-

lation should be in the direction of affording to the coin

protection against such mutilation, the effect of which

will be to render it useless as legal tender in the Straits

and prevent its currency in Shanghai where dollars are

largely made use of

The practice of chopping which has now nothing

to comena ii but old custom, is already becoming less com-

mon among the Chinese, and could probably be easily done

away with altogether.

The Committee venture to urge upon His Excellency

the expediency of strongly impressing upon the Home Govern-

ment the necessity of affording to the new dollar complete

protection against defacement, and would suggest sanction

being obtained to introduce an ordinance into the Legis-

lative Council to make the chopping of the dollar a breach

of the law asisthe case with the mutilation of the coinage

of other countries. As measures directly opposed to the

views her ein expressed may at any time be initiated it

might be well, should the proposal meet with His Excellen-

cy's approval, to telegraph home suggesting that no action

should be taken before receipt of written despatches from

TREASURY

10096

the local Government.

I have &c.

So.. Henderson,

REC I JUL 96,

Secretary.