CO129-542-9 Naval Volunteer Ordinance- 1933 22-12-1933 - 29-1-1935 — Page 24

Copy.

M.0529/34.

Ong reid on 30793/34 Gene

Admiralty, S.W.1.

16th March, 1934.

Sir,

With reference to your letter No.13717/22/33

of 23rd February, transmitting for remarks a copy of

Hong Kong Ordinance No.30 of 1933 entitled "An Ordinance

to provide for the Establishment of a Naval Volunteer

Defence Force", I am commanded by My Lords Commissioners

of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for the information of

the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that there is

no indication whether or not a second ordinance

corresponding to the second model ordinance recently

agreed upon, is to be passed by the Legislative Council

of Hong Kong.

2. The position regarding the legislation required

in connection with the establishment of local R.N.V.R.

forces is, in My Lords opinion, unsatisfactory, aз is shown

in the present instance and also by the Straits

Settlements R.N.V.R. Ordinance, inasmuch as the matters

considered to be of vital importance by the Admiralty are

contained in the second model ordinance, and there is no

certainty that colonies which have established forces

will pass this ordinance.

3. My Lords incline to the opinion that the most

satisfactory solution of the problem would be to revert

to the proposal to include all requirements in one model

ordinance on the lines of the draft originally agreed upon

The Under Secretary of State,

Colonial Office,

S.W.1.

between