Sessional_Paper_1901 — Page 766

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On the 5th March, 1895, the Governor referred the letter of the Acting Chief Justice to the Attorney General for report.

On the 6th February, 1896, the Acting Attorney General (Mr. Pollock) reported as follows:

These papers which were sent down to this office on the 6th of March last. "which was the day, I believe, when Mr. Ackroyd went home, appear to have been "mislaid for a considerable period and to have escaped observation.

It will be noted from the letter of Mr. Talbot, the Acting Colonial Secretary of "the Straits Settlements, which is dated the 14th of February, 1895, that, at the time "when he wrote, the opinion of the Mercantile Community in the Straits was much "divided upon the question of Registration of Partnerships, and that it had not been "decided whether the Bill (for the Registration of Partnerships), which hal been read "a second time, would be proceeded with or not.

“Under the above circumstances, I would suggest that you should re-open com- "munications with the Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements upon the subject, "and enquire of him whether the Bill for the Registration of Partnerships has been "finally passed in the Straits Settlements, and, if so, to forward to you a copy of it as "finally passed, together with a reference to the Singapore newspapers containing an "account of the debates in Council upon the Bill. But, if, on the other hand, the Bill "has been abandoned, to kindly inform you of the reasons for such abandonment, and of "any special obstacles or difficulties which obstructel the carrying out of the scheme for "the Registration of Partnerships."

In accordance with the advice of the Acting Attorney General, the Colonial Secretary (Mr. Stewart Lockhart) addressed a letter to the Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements inquiring whether the Bill providing for the Registration of Partnerships had become law, and if so, requesting to be provided with copies of the Ordinance as finally passsed together with a copy of the report of the proceedings of the Legislative Council of the Straits Settlements during the passage of the Bill through its several stages. The Colonial Secretary further asked that if the Bill had not been proceeded with, he might be furnishel with the special reasons for its abandonment. (Appendix U.)

On the 19th February, 1896, the Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements (Mr. Swettenham) replied that the Bill to provide for Registration of Partnerships had not been proceeded with since the second reading, and that the question whether it would be proceeded with, had not been decided. He conclude:1 by saying that "the Bill is one on which public opinion has been much divided, and it was thought expedient to "postpone passing it so as to accomplish other more pressing legislation and to give "public opinion on the subject further time to develop.” (Appendix V.)

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This reply was sent to the Acting Attorney General (Mr. Pollock) who suggested that for the present nothing further be done, a suggestion which the Governor (Sir William Robinson) on the 3rd March, 1896, approved.

So far as I am aware, the Bill has not been proceeded with in the Straits.

The Chamber of Commerce in its letter of the 31st October, 1900, has reopened the question. (Appendix W.)

If His Excellency is of opinion that the matter should be inquired into once more, I recommend that a Committee of Inquiry be appointed, consisting of the Chief Justice or Puisne Judge, as Chairman, the two Chinese members of Council, and two represen- tatives to be nominated by the Chamber of Commerce.

8th January, 1901.

J. H. STEWART LOCKHART.