CO129-322 - Acting Governor May - 1904 [1-5] — Page 252

J

No.

.74.

Hongkong.

Government House,

Hongkong, 29th February,

251

C.O.

12:75

J

100

1904.

Sir,

I have the honour to transmit for the

signification of His Majesty's pleasure Ordinance No. 1 of

1904 entitled an Ordinance to provide for the Recovery of

Charges incurred on account of imbecile persons introduced

into the Colony, with the usual report by the Attorney-General

thereon.

Enclosure 1.

(In duplicate.)

(With two spare copies.)

Enclosure 2. 26th February, 1904

2.

I may explain that a good deal of trouble

and some expense has in the past been thrown upon this Govern-

ment in consequence of this class of person having been landed

in Hongkong, while as you are probably aware the accommodation

in the Lunatic Asylum is very limited, being at times insuffi-

cient for the reception of persons domiciled in the Colony

and having a prior claim to admission.

3.

The Ordinance was introduced into the

Legislature at the instance of Sir Henry Blake and with the

concurrence of the Executive Council as far back as July, 1903,

but owing to various suggestions for extending the scope of the legislation contemplated, but mainly to the absence from

the Colony of the Member nominated by the Chamber of Commerce,

its final enactment has been delayed.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

ALFRED LYTTELTON, K.C., M.P.,

2cc..

&C..

80...

4.