Sessional_Paper_1893 — Page 820

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How can he act as

human nature that he should not be biased in favour of them. Chairman of the Committee, direct a possibly hostile enquiry, question witnesses, resolve questions of procedure, hold the balance between contending opinions, determine by his vote as between two members opposed to the Bill and two members for it, how any disputed question is to be determined? I give the Honourable the Registrar-General every credit. I have the strongest belief in his honour and honesty, but it is not a position in which he or any other man should be placed.

I again ask His Excellency to reconsider the matter. I understand that it is difficult, the appointment having been made public, to alter the arrangement, but the difficulty is not insurmountable. If a Commission instead of a Committee of the Council were now appointed to consider and report on the whole question of the existence of the Pó Léung Kuk, there could arise no sound objection to its being otherwise constituted.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your obedient Servant.

T. H. WHITEHEAD,

SIR,

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE,

HONGKONG, 10th May, 1892.

I am directed by the Governor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 7th instant in which you disclaim all intention of imputing any impropriety of conduct to the Registrar-General, but reiterate your opinion that that officer ought not to preside over the Committee that has been appointed to enquire into certain allegations that have been made against the Pó Léung Kuk Society.

2. In the fifth paragraph of your letter of 29th ultimo you stated that the Registrar- General was personally interested in the matter-i.e., in the subject matter which had been referred to the Committee for enquiry and report-"it having been suggested that his official influence was brought to bear on certain subscribers.' As you proceeded to urge this as a reason for cancelling his appointment as Chairman of the Committee, it was naturally, I might almost say necessarily assumed that you intended to imply that the Registrar-General had made some improper use of his official position, and that an enquiry into this impropriety on his part would fall within the scope of the Committee. His Excellency has great pleasure in accepting your disclaimer of any such intention.

3. The matter then stands as follows:--Certain allegations have been made against the Pó Léung Kuk Society, and they have been referred to a Committee for enquiry and report. Those allegations, or some of them, are of such a nature that, if they are proved, they may materially influence the views of the Government in regard to the Bill now before the Legislative Council for the incorporation of the Society. The suggestion above mentioned is not one of those allegations, and it has not been referred to the Committee. Further, the "suggestion" as now explained in your letter under acknowledgment does not appear to His Excellency to have any bearing on the question whether the Bill before the Council should or should not be passed. Assuming, as is highly probable, though I have no direct information on the point, that the Registrar- General has long been of opinion that for various reasons it was desirable that funds should be subscribed for the purposes of the Society, and that he has expressed his opinion to others, that would not in His Excellency's opinion afford any reason why the Bill should not be passed.