CO129-455 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1919 [7-9] — Page 349

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3.

This measure is passed in accordance with the permission given

in the Secretary of State's Despatch of the 23rd October, 1918 for this reservation to be made by law in the interests of British and American Societies and other pioneers mentioned in the Governor's

Confidential despatch of the 23rd October,

4.

1918.

As a matter of fact the measure passed is a much more moderate

one in its scope than that sanctioned by the Secretary of State,be- cause the plan sanctioned by the Secretary of State in hie said des- patch of the 23rd October, 1918 showed a reservation of no less than four-fifths of the island in question, whereas the plan attached to the present Ordinance shows that an area of less than one half of the whole island is included therein, namely the Southern portion of such island in the immediate neighbourhood of the portion already developed

by British and American Missionaries and others.

5. There is, therefore, no reasonable foundation for the objection

raised by the Chinese members in Council that members of the Chinese

race are being excluded from this island inasmuch as more than half

of the total area of the island is free of the restrictions contained

in this Ordinance and is wholly open to residents of all races.

6.

In my opinion this is an Ordinance to which His Excellency the

Officer Administering the Government may properly assent in the name

of His Majesty and on His behalf.

7. E. Porloch

Attorney General.