Sessional_Paper_1894 — Page 133

129

No.9

HONGKONG.

SECRETARY OF STATE'S DESPATCH ON THE SUBJECT OF "THE PÓ LÉUNG KUK INCORPORATION ORDINANCE, 1893."

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Governor, on the 15th March, 1894.

!

(Copy.) HONGKONG.

No. 204.

DOWNING STREET,

22nd December, 1893.

SIR,-I have had under my careful consideration your despatch No. 134 of 27th June last, submitting for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure, "The Pó Léung Kuk Incorporation Ordinance 1893," and your despatch No. 137 of 28th June last, forwarding a Memorial from Mr. T. H. WHITEHEAD in which he states his objections to. certain provisions of the Ordinance.

In my opinion sections 6 and 9 of the Ordinance give the Board of Direction too absolute power, free from any control either by the Registrar General or by the Governor; and although there may be no probability of such power being abused, I think it right that provision should be made for some measure of control on the part of the Government. It seems hardly necessary, as proposed by Mr. WHITEHEAD and Mr. CHATER, that with the view of the Registrar General control- ling the proceedings of the Society from the outside he should be removed from the position of President of the Board in which he is placed by the Ordinance; but the Ordinance should be amended so as to provide for an appeal to the Governor, as suggested at page viii. of the Report of the Committee on the Pó Léung Kuk. This could be effected by adding at the end of section 9 of the Ordinance the following words, "provided that in any case in which the Board is divided in opinion the Pre- "sident or any two Members of the Board may demand that the point be referred "to the Governor for his decision, which shall in every such case be final," and by inserting in section 6 after the words "purposes thereof" the following words, "subject to an appeal to the Governor as hereinafter provided."

otherwise

Section 19 of the Ordinance should also be amended by inserting after the words "Police Force," the following words, "or District Watchmen there would be no provision under which District Watchmen could be lent to the Society, (as heretofore), while at the same time retaining the powers and author- ities of a Constable, which they possess under Ordinance 13 of 1888.

I have now to inform you that Her Majesty will not be advised to exercise her power of disallowance with respect to the Ordinance, No. 10 of 1893, entitled, An Ordinance for the establishment and incorporation of the Chinese Society for the prevention of kidnapping and for the protection of Women and Children, commonly known as the Pó Léung Kuk, but you will understand that the Ordinance should not be brought into operation, until it has been amended.

It gives me pleasure to learn from the Report of the Committee, which enquired into the history of the Pó Leung Kuk, that much good work has in past years been done by this Society, and I may express a confident hope that their work will be continued in future with even greater success under the terms of the new Ordinance. Mr. WHITEHEAD should be informed that I have carefully considered his Memorial, and have given you directions to amend the Ordinance on certain points as indicated in the second and third paragraphs of the present despatch. The purport of those paragraphs may be cominunicated to him.

Governor Sir WILLIAM ROBINSON, K.C.M.G.,

fc.,

&c.,

&c.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

(Signed)

RIPON.