CO129-536-9 Capt. T. Pritchard- case of yacht Tavy II v. SS. Sui Tai (Macao Ferry) 18-11-1931 - 13-8-1932 — Page 15

DIEU

ET MON

DROIT

2215

RECEIVED

4. 2 AUG 1932

COL.OFFICE

Government House, Đông Phong.

1st July, 1932.

My dear Cowell,

19

I have for acknowledgment your letter

82874/31, of the 4th May, regarding the case of

Captain Pritchard of the s.s. "Sui Tai".

I have spoken to the Harbour Master

about this case, about which I have never felt very

happy. The case was brought by the Deputy Harbour

Master in his private capacity, and the Harbour

Master, who had no previous knowledge of it, heard

it in his judicial capacity as Marine Magistrate.

He felt that he had no option but to deal with the

matter entirely from a judicial point of view, and

from that point of view there seems little doubt but

that his decision was correct.

I think it is unfortunate that our

officials should be mixed up in a case like this,

which leads to a considerable amount of ill-feeling,

H. R. Cowell, Esq. C.M.G.,

Colonial Office,

Downing Street.