CO129-393 - Governor Sir May - 1912 [11] — Page 175

Report

c. 182 38973

Rece Reg 9 DEC 12

168

"An Ordinance (No.36 of 1912) to provide for the incorporation of

the Church Bedy of the China Congregational Church in Hong Kong."

1. This is a private Ordinance passed for the purpose of the

Incorporation of the Church Body of the China Congregational

Church in Hong Kong. This congregation is of high repute.

2. In August of 1898 a certain piece of land at a place calle

Tai Ping Shan was sold by Public Auction and was purchased

by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions-

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions 2

incorporated in Besten in the United States of America.

The purchase price of the property was $7,565 with a Crown

Rental of $60 per annum. The restal was reduced to $10 per

annum s long as the property should be in the possession

of the Board and solely used for the religieus or charitable

purposes prometed by that Bedy.

3. The Beard has energetically developed the property with the assistance of subscriptions from local Chinese Christians

and has erected schools, a preaching kall, a chapel, and residences for the staff on the land in question.

4. The congregation kas increased and, under the system organi-

sed by the American Congregational Churches, congregations are regarded and managed as separate entitțies handling their own local affairs when their size and resources jus- tify such a state of affairs.

bresiness

5. The Beard consider that the local Hong Kong Congregation

is sufficiently organized and advanced te form itself inte

a self managing separate church body and it is to carry

ut this policy of the Beard that the present Ordinance is introduced.

6. The property comprising the land and buildings in question are to be transferred to the Church Body constituted under