OP Y.
Enclosure 1.
460
C C
38669
"B" 2 NOV 07
Status and Duties of the Registrar-General
1.
The Registrar-General is ex-officio Secretary for Chinese Affairs and is the medium of communication between the Government and the Chinese. All communications of a general character from Chinese individuals and all communications from classes or bodies of Chinese must be addressed to the Registrar-General and the reply of the Government to the same will be made through the Registrar-General.
2. It is advisable that the Registrar-General should be consulted on all questions of public policy affecting the Chinese and that before legislation is introduced in Council opportunity should be provided of ascertaining Chinese opinion on it.
3.
It is advisable to encourage all communications from Chinese to the Government being made through the Registrar-General. It is largely on the influence of the Registrar-General that the Government relies to secure the co-operation and obedience of the Chinese Community and the recognised means should be taken of increasing that influence whenever possible. The Chinese should be enabled to realise that while they are expected to yield to the wishes of the Government as conveyed through the Registrar-General, the Government for its part will pay particular attention to the wishes of the Chinese when they are supported by the same Officer.
4.
Communications from Chinese who are ignorant of English, as most even of the wealthiest merchants in Hongkong are, should continue to be made in Chinese. Otherwise either the English-speaking Chinese will form the only intermediary between the mass of the Chinese and the Government or a class of English letter writers will spring up and live on their countrymen.
5. In China the right of appeal to the Highest Authorities is claimed and freely exercised, and no case decided in a Chinese Court is ever secure of not being re-opened. Occasional appeals to
OP Y.
Endlosure 1.
460
C C
38669
"B" 2 NOV 07
Status and Duties of the Registrar-General
1.
The Registrar-General is ex-officio Secretary for Chinese
Affairs and is the medium of communication between the Govern-
-ment and the Chinese. All communications of a general character
from Chinese individuals and all communications from classes or
bodies of Chinese must be addressed to the Registrar-General
and the reply of the Government to the same will he made
through the Registrar-General.
2. It is advisable that the Registrar-General should be
consulted on all questions of public policy affecting the
Chinese and that before legislation is introduced in Council
opportunity should he provided of ascertaining Chinese opinion
on it.
3.
It is advisable to encourage all communications from Chinese
to the Government being made through the Registrar-General. It
is largely on the influence of the Registrar-General that the
Government relies to secure the co-operation and obedience of
the Chinese Community and the recognised means should be taken
of increasing that influence whenever possible. The Chinese
should be enabled to realise that while they are expected to
yield to the wishes of the Government as conveyed through the
Registrar-General, the Government for its part will pay particu-
-lar attention to the wishes of the Chinese when they are
sunported by the same Officer.
4.
Communications from Chinese who are ignorant of English as
most even of the wealthiest merchants in Hongkong are should
continue to be made in Chinese. Otherwise either the English-
-speaking Chinese will form the only intermediary between the
mass of the Chinese and the Government or a class of Elish
letter writers will spring up and live on their countrymen. 5. In China the right of appeal to the Highest Authorities is claimed and freely exercised, and no case decided in a Chineso Court is ever secure of not being re-opened. Occasional apreals
to
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