Majesty by Order in Council to direct, if it seems to His Majesty in Council necessary or proper for carrying into effect the objects of the said Act, that such Act or Ordinance as aforesaid or any part thereof shall with or without modification or alteration be recognised and given effect to throughout His Majesty's Dominions and on the High Seas as if it were part of the said Act:

And whereas by an Ordinance enacted by the Governor of the Straits Settlements with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, the short title of which is "The Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, 1922, "(2) provision has been made that all powers vested in and acts authorised or required to be done by the Governor under "The Fugitive Offenders Acts, 1881 to 1915,''(3) in relation to the return of a fugitive may within the Colony be exercised and done by any deputy of the Governor thereto authorised:

66

And whereas it is provided by the said Ordinance that the said Ordinance shall come into operation on the day on which the Governor makes known by proclamation published in the Gazette" that His Majesty has by Order in Council directed that the said Ordinance shall have effect in the Straits Settlements as if it were part of The Fugitive Offenders Act, 1881 ":

66

Now, therefore, His Majesty, in pursuance of The Fugitive Offenders Act, 1881," and in exercise of the power in that behalf in the said Act contained, doth by this present Order, by and with the advice of his Privy Council, direct that The Straits Settlements Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, 1922," shall, without modification or alteration, be recognised and given effect to throughout His Majesty's Dominions and on the High Seas as if it were part of The Fugitive Offenders Act, 1881.'

And the Most Noble the Duke of Devonshire, K.G., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., one of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, is to give the necessary directions herein accordingly.

ALMERIC FITZROY.

(2) Page 209.

(3) Vol. CIX, page 3.

BRITISH ORDER IN COUNCIL declaring that Load-lines fixed and marked and Certificates given in Hong Kong under "The Merchant Shipping Ordinances, 1899 to 1917," shall have the same effect as if given under The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894."-London, January 29, 1923.(1)

66

At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 29th day of
January, 1923.

PRESENT: THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS by Section 444 of "The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894. (2) it is enacted that where the Legislature of any British Possession by any enactment provides for the fixing, marking, and certifying of load-lines on ships registered in that Possession, and it appears to His Majesty the King that that enactment is based on the same principles as the provisions of the said Act relating to load-lines, and is equally effective for ascertaining and determining the maximum load-lines to which those ships can be safely loaded in salt water, and for giving notice of the load-line to persons interested, His Majesty in Council may declare that any loadline fixed and marked, and any certificate given in pursuance of that enactment, shall, with respect to ships 30 registered, have the same effect as if it had been fixed, marked, or given in pursuance of the said Act:

And whereas the Legislature of the British Possession of Hong Kong by certain provisions of "The Merchant Shipping Ordinances, 1899 to 1917," have provided for the fixing, marking, and certifying of load-lines on ships registered in that Possession:

And whereas it has been made to appear to His Majesty the King that such provisions of the said enactments are based on the same principles as the provisions of "The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894," and are equally effective for ascertaining and determining the maximum load-lines to which ships registered in that Possession can be safely loaded in salt water, and for giving notice of the load-line to the persons interested:

Now, therefore, His Majesty, in exercise of the powers vested in him by The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894," by and with the advice of his Privy Council, is pleased to declare, and doth hereby declare, that any load-line fixed and marked, and any certificate given in pursuance of the said Ordinances shall, with respect to ships registered in (1) "London Gazette," January 30, 1923. (2) Vol. LXXXVI, page 633.

46

Hong Kong, have the same effect as if it had been fixed, marked, or given in pursuance of The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894.

ALMERIC FITZROY.

BRITISH ORDER IN COUNCIL applying the provisions of "The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894," with regard to Tonnage Regulations, to Japanese Ships.-London, February 12, 1923.(1)

At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 12th day of February, 1923.

PRESENT: THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS by Sub-Section (1) of Section 84 of "The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894,'(2) it is enacted that whenever it appears to His Majesty the King in Council that the tonnage regulations of the said Act have been adopted by any foreign country and are in force there, His Majesty in Council may order that the ships of that country shall, without being remeasured in His Majesty's Dominions, be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in their certificates of registry or other national papers, in the same manner, to the same extent, and for the same purposes as the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of a British ship is deemed to be the tonnage of that ship:

And whereas it appears to His Majesty that the tonnage. regulations of the said Act have been adopted by the Government of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Japan and are in force in the Japanese Dominions :

Now, therefore, His Majesty is pleased, by and with the advice of his Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows:

1. This Order may be cited as "The Japanese Tonnage Order, 1923."

2. Ships which have their ports of registry either in the territories of Japan or in other localities under the control of Japan and which are equipped with certificates of registry or other national papers duly issued by the competent Japanese authorities on or after the 1st October, 1914, or which, not having been remeasured in accordance with the Regulations of 1914, are equipped with certificates of registry or other national papers duly issued by the competent (1) "London Gazette," February 16, 1923. (2) Vol. LXXXVI, page 633.

Japanese authorities in accordance with the Regulations of 1884, shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in such certificates of registry or other national papers in the same manner, to the same extent, and for the same purposes as the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of a British ship is deemed to be the tonnage of that ship.

3. The Order of Her Majesty in Council dated the 27th day of January, 1885, (3) made under the provisions of The Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Act, 1862," with regard to the tonnage of ships of Japan, is hereby revoked. ALMERIC FITZROY.

(3) Vol. LXXVI, page 861.

SPEECH of the King on the Opening of the British Parliament.-Westminster, February 13, 1923.

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons.

THE Conference which was held in London early in December on the subject of the payment of Reparation by Germany was resumed in Paris in January. My Government, in their desire to hasten a complete settlement of the Reparation question, offered to the Allied Governments. far-reaching concessions on Allied debts to this country; I greatly regret that it proved impossible to reach a general agreement. The French and Belgian Governments have therefore proceeded to put into force the plan which they favoured, and the Italian Government have countenanced their action. My Government, while feeling unable either to concur or participate in this operation, are acting in such a way as not to add to the difficulties of their Allies.

During the past three months, the plenipotentiaries of my Government, in conjunction with those of the other Allied Powers, have been engaged at Lausanne in a sincere and patient effort to bring to a close the conditions of warfare which for over eight years have desolated the regions of the Near East.

I greatly regret that, in spite of the conciliatory spirit shown by the Allies, and of the immense concessions which they were prepared to make, the Treaty, when on the verge of signature, was declined by the Turkish Delegation. But I cherish the hope that, when a full report of the proceedings has reached the Turkish Government, the latter may still be disposed to accept the Treaty, and that the opportunity, so earnestly and laboriously prepared, of rebuilding the peace of the East and the stability of the future Turkish State may not be sacrificed.

I welcome the prospective settlement of our War Debt to the United States of America, which reflects the determination of our people to meet their obligations.

Members of the House of Commons,

The estimates for the public service in the coming year will be laid before you in due course.

The financial burdens of the country are heavy, and reductions in public expenditure remain essential to the wellbeing of the State.

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,

The serious state of unemployment among my people causes me the deepest concern, and must continuously engage the attention of my Ministers. The increase which has recently taken place in our oversea trade gives ground for confidence in the future, and I earnestly trust that we may anticipate a continued improvement in both our external and our home trade. I look forward more particularly to a greater development of inter-Imperial trade in co-operation. with the various Governments of my Empire. Meanwhile, full effect will be given to the special measures which have been initiated to afford relief to the situation.

The condition of agriculture continues to receive the careful consideration of my Ministers. With a view to the alleviation of some of the difficulties in the industry you will be invited to consider proposals for granting credit facilities to agriculturists.

The anomalies and inequalities of the present system of local taxation have long called for reform, and my Ministers are examining the whole question. It is hoped that it may be found practicable to deal with the subject on a comprehensive basis, and, in particular, to remove some of the burdens which press on the agricultural industry.

Among the measures which will be presented for your consideration will be Bills dealing with unemployment insurance benefit, housing, trade boards and industrial

assurance.

The Departmental Committee appointed to consider the operation of the Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Act has now made its final reports, and proposals will be made to you to carry into effect certain of the Committee's recommendations. You will also be asked to deal with difficulties arising out of the legal interpretation of the Act.

Measures will be submitted to you for simplifying legal procedure and effecting economies, especially in the County Courts, and for the consolidation of various branches of the