TNAG-0765-FCO40-969-Minting-of-coins-for-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 92

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ATTACE

PS/Lord Goronwy-Roberts

CONFIDENTIAL

Hkk 138/1

the Murray. Wishe

• HD. 31 MK GD

NO.

co Tegal Executive Branch

Action Taken

(ST

ja.

HONG KONG COINAGE

1 I have today approved a draft Order in Council amending the Hong Kong (Coinage) Order 1936.

2 The effect of the draft Order will be to empower the

Governor to demonetise any coin which is legal tender in the Colony. Under the 1936 Order the Governor has power to demonetise only those coins which appear in the Schedule to the Order. There is no provision for coins issued subsequently to be added to the schedule, which means that at present coins issued after 1936 cannot legally be demonetised. The new draft Order will correct

this anomaly.

3. DSP Volume 36, paragraph 9.11 stipulates that draft Orders of this type do not need to be submitted for Ministerial approval, but may be approved by an Under-Secretary, who should however then inform the appropriate Minister of the action that has been taken. I should therefore be grateful if you could bring this minute to

the Minister's attention.

4. I am copying this minute to the Legal Executive Branch and would be grateful if they would now submit the draft Order to the

Lord President.

Dluny

D F Murray

11 December 1978

CONFIDENTIAL