CO129-520-7 Public Utility companies- acquisition by foreign groups 4-12-1929 - 26-1-1930 — Page 20

A pure law!

а

20

undertaking in time of emergency there appears

to be nothing more to be done since what we want

is power to secure that the undertaking is managed

by persons who will be loyal to the Government in

time of war or emergency.

The essence of the Ordinance in question

is contained in section 2(1) which provides that

"on any occasion which the Governor in Council may

consider to be an occasion of emergency or public

danger, he may make any regulations whatsoever

which he may consider desirable in the public

interest."

But supposing, for the sake of argument,

the management of these electricity supply companies to be in the hands of persons potentially disloyal to the Government, it occurs to me that no

Emergency Regulations Ordinance can be a perfect

safeguard because the damage might be done before

the Government appreciated the situation and had

time to put its powers into effect. The situation

with a British General Manager and principal officers in control all along would be quite

different.

Subject to any legal observations, I

think that a secret despatch might now be addressed

to the Governor, reference 14, pointing out the

object which it is desirable to achieve and how

far the Emergency Regulations Ordinance appears to

fall short of it; continue in the sense of

paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of Sir J. Campbell's minute

of the 11th of March; and conclude by asking for

observations as to the feasibility of introducing

legislation to ensure permanent British control

and management of (a) the two existing companies

and

Page 20Page 21