CO129-505-11 Deleterious Drugs Ordinance 1927- proposed amendments 27-10-1927 - 9-11-1927 — Page 7

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because the Straits Settlements Authorities

failed to exercise such discretion, and

prosecuted and fined the masters of big

ocean-going vessels (without a shadow

of justification), that we embarked on this

revision.

-

There have not been any such cases

in Hong Kong up to the present, and I feel

confident that the present Superintendent

at Hong Kong (Mr. Lloyd who has shown

himself to be exceptionally well qualified

for this post) would not commit an error of

judgment of this kind; but can we be equally certain in the case of less experienced

officers acting in his absence when he is

on leave (as he is at present); or in the

case of his successor in office?

However, the first thing seems to be

to get Mr. Bushe's opinion on "X" above.

J. Pastin

6.10.27.

It is said that in Hong Kong it is

necessary that owners and masters of ships

should be made by law criminally responsible

for the acts of their servants whether or not

such owners and masters are a party to such

acts. That is a proposition of rough and

ready justice which it is not easy to accept.

The justification for it alleged is that it is

believed that the owners and masters nearly

always are implicated and that to allow them

the