Sessional_Paper_1884-1885 — Page 173

town, could not in future be sold as before at a very high price, as people will always be afraid of buying it, and both the Catholic Community and the Colony of Hongkong will suffer, the former by not being able to have the new Cathedral finished in time to supply its imperious wants caused by its daily increasing, and the latter by our not being able now to get sufficient funds, by the sale of the Lot, to ornament the exterior of the Church, as much as we had desired to render the Cathedral a worthy monument of the Colony.

Thanking His Excellency the Governor for his kindness of transmitting my letter to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

169

Honourable F. STEWART,

Acting Colonial Secretary,

HONGKONG.

I have, &c.,

JOHN T. RAIMONDI,

Titular Bishop of Acantho, and Vicar Apostolic of Hongkong.

(3.)

Secretary of State to Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G.

DOWNING STREET,

SIR,

2nd August, 1884.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 210 of the 6th of June, transmitting a letter addressed to me by Bishop RAIMONDI, together with annexed correspondence, on the subject of the difficulties which have arisen in regard to the disposal of certain property in the Colony leased to the "Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith," and requesting instructions.

I enclose copies of two Ordinances of the Legislature of Trinidad which may be of use to you in dealing with this question. I shall have no objection to the enactment of an Ordinance containing the following provisions :-

a. It should incorporate either the person for the time being holding some office in the Church of Rome in Hongkong, e. g. the Bishop or the Vicar Apostolic as in the case of the Roman Catholic Arch- bishop of Port of Spain under the Trinidad Ordinance No. 16 of 1870 (copy enclosed), or a body of trustees to be appointed from time to time, in some manner to be prescribed by the Ordinance, as in the case of the Church of England in Trinidad under the Ordi- nance No. 8 of 1873.

b. It should vest in such Corporation Lot 50 and the other property of

the Church of Rome in Hongkong.

c. It should empower such Corporation to acquire and hold property for

the use of the Church of Rome.