CO129-405 - Public Offices - 1913 — Page 348

acquainted with the general state of affairs in the

Colony and with the leading members of the Chamber of

Commerce. The practice continued during their tenure

of office but before his death Sir H.Parkes felt that it

was irregular and might lead to grave public inconvenience

whenever a new linister should be appointed to China who

would necessarily be imperfectly informed respecting the

Colony. Unofficial correspondence passed between Sir H.

Parkes and Sir G. Fowen and, in submitting his views in the

Despatch referred to above, ir G. Rowen recommended a return

to the rule that all correspondence between persons or public

bodies in the Colony and Her ajesty'sinister at Peking

should pass through the Governor.

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10.

In forwarding a copy of 3ir G. Bowen's Despatch

to the Foreign Office the Secretary of State for the Colon-

ies expressed the opinion that much inconvenience or evil

might arise if the views of important but irresponsible

persons or bodies in a Colony were considered by

Her ajesty's Ministers at Toreign Courts without a know-

ledge of the views of the Colonial Government and he in-

vited the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to join

in

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in giving such instructions as might be required for

carrying out Sir G. Bowen's recommendations which,

Colonel Stanley added, were in accordance with the

rules which had been found necessary.

Lord Salisbury concurred in these views and

directed that care should be taken to avoid the

irregularity.

On March 31st, 1887, the Chamber of Commerce for-

warded, through the acting Governor, a letter addressed

to Lord Salisbury requesting permission to continue

the practice of communicating direct with Her

Majesty's Minister at Peking and stating that in every

case a copy of any such communication would be handed

to the Colonial Government at the same time. In trans-

mtting this letter to Lord Salisbury the Secretary of

Stete for the Colonies observed that in objecting to

the practice Lord Stanley had done so in the belier

that the Governor was left in complete ignorance of

the correspondence. If, however, copies of all such

communications, having reference in any way to Colonial

interests, were simultaneously furnished to the Colon-

del