1845-01-25 — Page 1

25th January, 1845.

Present, His Excellency the Governor

Honble M. General D'Aguilar

Honble The Chief Justice

Honble Fredk Bruce

Honble Major Caine

Honble R. M. Martin.

Consideration was given to a Despatch from Lord Stanley dated 12th August in which Ordinance No. 1 of 1844, entitled "An Ordinance to define the Law relating to Slavery in Hongkong" is dis-allowed and His Excellency the Governor read to the Council two Proclamation which he proposed to have issued on the subject in pursuance of directions from Her Majesty's Government, and It was Resolved that they be issued accordingly.

It was further Resolved that Her Majesty's confirmation of Ordinance No. 3 of 1844, entitled "An Ordinance to provide for the Registration of deeds, wills, judgements and conveyances affecting real or immoveable property in Hongkong" be at the same time made public by Proclamation.

Consideration was given to some remarks in the same Despatch from Lord Stanley on Ordinance No. 2 of 1844, entitled "An Ordinance to regulate the printing of Books and Papers, and the keeping of Printing Presses within the Colony of Hongkong" and It was Resolved that this Ordinance be repealed by a fresh Ordinance Notice being given at the same time that the Laws of England which regulate the Press, shall, as far as they are applicable to the conditions of this Colony be in force here, as provided under Ordinance No. 15 of 1844, entitled "An Ordinance to establish a Supreme Court of Judicature at Hongkong."

Some Remarks in the same Despatch on Ordinance No. 5 of 1844, entitled "An Ordinance for the preservation of good order and cleanliness within the Colony of Hongkong" were considered and It was Resolved that this Ordinance be repealed and that another and a more correct and well considered Law be substituted on the same subject embodying Ordinance No. 17 of 1844, entitled "An Ordinance for the better securing the Peace and Quiet of the Inhabitants of the Town of Victoria and its vicinity during the night time," and other Police regulations, so as to make the new Ordinance an officiant Police Ordinance and that His Honor The Chief Justice be requested to draft this Ordinance accordingly. Some remarks in the same Despatch on Ordinance No. 7 of 1844, entitled "An Ordinance for removing doubts respecting the application to Hongkong of the Laws and Statutes of England relating to Usury and to limit and define the rate rate of interest which may be recovered in cases, where it hath not been previously agreed on between the parties" were considered, and It was Resolved that this Ordinance be revised in accordance with Lord Stanley's directions.

Read and passed a corrected Schedule of Weights and measures to be appended to Ordinance No. 22 of 1844 entitled "An Ordinance for Establishing Standard Weights and Measures and for preventing the use of such as are false and deficient," and the same was ordered to be printed and to be substituted for the Schedule already attached to that Ordinance, in which some errors in the Chinese letters have been discovered.

Read and approved Sd J. F. Davis

this 29th day of January, 1845

Sd A. E. Shelley

Clerk of Councils