Directory_and_Chronicle_1917 — Page 527

CHARTER OF THE COLONY OF HONGKONG

447

Provided always that the Governor shall in no case, except when the offence Political offences. has been of a political nature unaccompanied by any other grave crime, make it a condition of any pardon or remission of sentence that the offender shall be banished from or shall absent himself or be removed from the Proviso. Banish- ment prohibited. .Colony.

officers.

XV.--The Governor may, upon sufficient cause to him appearing, suspension of -suspend from the exercise of his office any person holding any office within the Colony, whether appointed by any commission or warrant from us or in our name, or by any other mode of appointment. Every such suspen- siou shall continue and have effect only until our pleasure therein shall be signified to the Governor. In proceeding to any such suspension the Governor is strictly to observe the directions in that behalf given to him by any instructions as aforesaid.

XVI.-Whenever the office of Governor is vacant, or if the Governor Succession to Government. become incapable, or be absent from the Colony, our Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony, or if there shall be no such officer therein, then such person or persons as we have appointed or may hereafter appoint under our sign manual and signet, and in default of any such appointment, the person lawfully discharging the functions of Colonial Secretary, shall, during our pleasure, administer the government of the Colony, first taking the oaths Proviso, Oaths herein before directed to be taken by the Governor and in the manner herein prescribed; which being done, we do hereby authorize, empower, and command our Lieutenant-Governor, or any other such administrator Powers, &c., of as aforesaid, to do and execute, during our pleasure, all things that belong to the office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief, according to the tenor of these our Letters Patent, and according to our instructions as aforesaid, and the laws of the Colony.*

of Office.

Administrator.

XVII.-And we do hereby require and command all our officials and officers and ministers, civil and military, and all other inhabitants of the Colony, others to ober to be obedient, aiding and assisting unto the Governor and to any person vernor. for the time being administering the Government of the Colony.

XVIII. In these our Letters Patent the term "the Governor" shall Term "Gover- include every person for the time being administering the government of nor" explained the Colony.

XIX. And we do hereby reserve to ourselves, our heirs and successors, full power and authority, from time to time, to revoke, alter, or amend these Letters Patent as to us or them shall seem meet.

Power reserved to Her Majesty

to revoke, alter or amend present Letters Patent.

XX. And we do further direct and enjoin that these our Letters Publication of Patent shall be read and proclaimed at such place or places within the Letters Patent Colony as the Governor shall think fit.

In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made Patent. Witness ourself at Westminster, the nineteenth day of January in the Fifty-first year of our Reign.

By Warrant under the Queen's Sign Manual,

MUIR MACKENZIE.

* A dormant commission passed under the Royal Sign Manual and Signet, dated 31st Jauuary, 1896, appoints the Senior Military Officer in command of the regular forces in the Colony to administer the Government when the office of Governor is vacant or the Governor is incapacitated orabsent, and there is no Lieutenant-Governor in the Colony.