CO129-302 - Public Offices - 1900 — Page 541

to maintain a native of Hong Kong must rest with

the municipal authorities of Hong Kong rather than

with the municipal authorities of the United King-

dom

I am to say that My Lords concur in the opinion

thus expressed by His Lordship and consider that the

soundness of it is not affected by the argument of

the Colonial Office that, since the Colony are

compelled to support foreign lunatics, they cannot

fairly be called upon to receive their own lunatics

back from abroad.

The question only arises with regard to

countries with which no mutual arrangement has been

cane to such as that made with the Italian Govern-

mont. As pointed out in the penultimate paragraph

of your letter under reply, the local authorities

in the United Kingdom suffer by the absence of

such a mutual arrangement with countries like China;

and it seems to My Lords that local authorities in

Colonies, which have the benefit of the mutual arrangements made between the United Kingdom and

certain

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certain foreign Governments, should, like the

United Kingdom, bear the inconvenience and expense

arising from the repatriation of their own paupers

from countries with which no such arrangements

exist.

From the foregoing remarks Lord Salisbury

will gather that My Lords are in general accord

with the views contained in the draft despatch.

(Signed)

I am, &c.,

Francis Mowatt.