CO129-454 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1919 [4-6] — Page 164

No

115.

ཁྱཱཀ

34009

KELJUN 19

161

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 12th. April, 1919.

My Lord,

Gr/46020/18

onclosure!

FOR

With reference to Mr. Long's Despatch

No. 246 of the 22nd. October, 1918, I have the honour to

inform Your Lordship that the libel action brought by Mr. E.

. Hamilton, Acting Assistant District Officer (South) against the "Hongkong Daily Press" and the "China Mail' has now been settled out of Court by agreement between the parties and the

writer of the letter to which Mr. Hamilton took objection, Hr. Bowley, of Mesars. Dennys and Bowley, a local firm of Solicitors, has published an apology in the two newspapers in

question.

2.

to-

I enclose a copy of the letter received

from Mesars. Deacon, Looker, Deacon and Harston, Mr.

Hamilton's Solicitors, regarding their costs in the case, -gether with the "copies of documents" referred to therein.

3.

My own view of the matter is that the costs incurred were quite unnecessary and that the Government

should have nothing to do with the matter. The coats have been

largely increased by drawing up a long-winded document entitled "Instructions to Counsel" which need not have been prepared as everyone concerned was well aware of the facts. I caused the Solicitors to be informed that I would forward anything they wished to you, but that I should strongly

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

VISCOUNT MILNER, G.C.B.,

ko..

oppose