CO129-479 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1923 [1-3] — Page 292

MINUTES.

MINUTES NOT TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE.

CONFIDENTIAL.

My Lord Duke,

10723

RE

287

Wr | MAN 23

GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

HONGKONG. 24th January, 1923.

449238726

nclosure 1.

nclosure 2.

With reference to Your Grace's telegram of

the 24th of November end to previous correspondence on the Mui Tsei question, I have the honour to enclose a copy of

a draft Ordinance which was read a first time at a meeting of the Legislative Council on the 28th of December, 1922.

I enclose also a copy of the speech made by the Attorney General in introducing the Bill.

2.

I regret to have to report that the

difficulties connected with the passage of legislation on

this subject are even greater than I foresew,

As Your Grace is aware, I anticipated

considerable opposition from the Chinese community and

I was naturally prepared for opposition in Council from the

two Chinese members. What I did not anticipate was that there would be equal opposition from the non-Chinese members. The opposition, to my great surprise, is led by the Honourable Mr. Pollock, whom I have always regarded as the

protagonist of humanitarianism in Hongkong. He informe me that the Unofficial members will unanimously oppose the Bill, which can therefore only be carried by the use of the Official Majority, an instrument which it is obviously highly undesirable to use when dealing with a long- established and far-reaching Chinese social institution.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE, K.G..

&c.,

$0.