Directory_and_Chronicle_1887 — Page 903

CHARTER OF THE COLONY OF HONGKONG.

159

corporate, in trust for the public uses of our subjects there resident or of any of

them.

VII. And we do hereby authorize and empower the Governor of our said Colony of Hongkong for the time being, to constitute and appoint judges, and, in cases requisite, commissioners of oyer and terminer, justices of the peace, and other necessary officers and ministers in our said Colony, for the due and impartial administration of justice and for putting the laws into execution, and to administer, or cause to be administered, unto them such oath or oaths as are usually given for the due execution and perfomance of offices and places, and for the clearing of truth in judicial matters.

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VIII. And we do hereby give and grant unto the Governor of our said Colony of Hongkong for the time being, full power and authority, as he shall see occasion, in our name, and on our behalf, to remit any fines, penalties, or forfeitures which may accrue, or become payable to us, provided the same do not exceed the sum of fifty pounds sterling in any one case, and to respite and suspend the payment of any such fine, penalty, or forfeiture, exceeding the said sum of fifty pounds, until our pleasure thereon shall be made known and signified to such Governor.

IX. And we do hereby give and grant unto the Governor of our said Colony of Hongkong for the time being, full power and authority, as he shall see occasion, in our name, and on our behalf, to grant to any offender convicted of any crime, in any Court, or before any judge, justice, or magistrate within our said Colony, a free and unconditional pardon, or a pardon subject to such conditions as by any Law or Ordinance hereafter to be in force in our said Colony may be thereunto annexed, or any respite of the execution of the sentence of any such offender, for such period as to such Governor may seem fit.

X.-And we do hereby give and grant unto the Governor of our said Colony of Hongkong for the time being, full power and authority, upon sufficient cause to him appearing, to suspend from the exercise of his office, within our said Colony, any person exercising any office or place, under or by virtue of any commission or warrant granted or which may be granted, by us, or in our name, or under our authority, which suspension shall continue and have effect only until our pleasure therein shall be made known and signified to such Governor: And we do hereby strictly require and enjoin the Governor of our said Colony of Hongkong for the time being, in proceeding to any such suspension, to observe the directions in that behalf given to him by our instructions, under our signet and sign manual, accompanying his commission of appointment as Governor of the said Colony.

XI. And in the event of the death or absence out of our said Colony of Hongkong of such person as may be commissioned and appointed by us to be the Governor thereof, we do hereby provide and declare our pleasure to be, that all and every the powers and authorities herein granted to the Governor of our said Colony of Hongkong for the time being, shall be, and the same are, hereby vested in such person as may be appointed by us, by warrant under our signet and sign manual, to be the Lieutenant-Governor of our said Colony; or in the event of there being no person upon the place commissioned and appointed by us to be Lieutenant-Governor thereof then our pleasure is, and we do hereby provide and declare, that in such contingency all the powers and authorities herein granted to the Governor or Lieutenant-Governor of our said Colony shall be and the same are hereby granted to the Colonial Secretary of our said Colony for the time being, and such Lieutenant- Governor, or such Colonial Secretary, as the case may be, shall execute all and every the powers and authorities herein grauted, until our further pleasure shall be signified therein.

any

XII. And we do hereby require and command all our officers and ministers, civil and military, and all other the inhabitants of our said Colony of Hongkong, to be obedient, aiding, and assisting to such person as may be commissioned and appointed by us to be the Governor of our said Colony of Hongkong, or in the event of his death or absence, to such person as may, under the provisions of these out. Letters Patent, assume and exercise the functions of such Governor.