188 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 25TH FEBRUARY, 1880.
THE GOVERNOR replied, Dr. ErTEL inter-
preting his remarks as he proceeded.
HIS EXCELLENCY suid-Gentleinen, I am extremely glad to have the pleasure of receiving
you. I know that you represent the Chinese
community. I see here to-day friends of mine who are undoubtedly amongst the wealthiest
merchants in this Colony. I see gentlemen here of the Nam-pák hongs who are engaged in send-
ing into China from north to south British goods.
I see one gentleman here who, I believe, is the
largest individual owner of British steamers in
this Colony, my friend Mr. KwOK ACHEONG. I
see also representatives here to-day of every other
important business in this Colony. It is there-
fore gratifying to me that you should have come
at this season--the Chinese New Year- to con-
gratulate me on having appointed Mr. NG CHOY
to a seat on the Legislativ Council. Before I
made that appointment I had the opportunity of
learning your own views about it. I knew
that my honourable friend would truly represent you. It was not merely because he is a man of high character, with a thorough knowledge of
English language and English law--it was not
meiely for that reason I appointed him, but I appointed him also because I knew he had your confidence.
But I do not wish to take too much credit to myself for having for the first time in this Colony appointed a Chinese gentleman to a seat on the Council. One of my predecessors wrote des- patches to Her Majesty's Government-you might be aware of the fact for the despatches are printed --in which the question of Chinese representa- tion was referred to, many years ago. Governor Sir JOHN BOWRING, in 1855, said he should be glad to associate the Chinese with the action of the Government, and he recommended Her Ma- jesty's Government to have a system in this Colony by which every lot holder of £10 rental or upwards would be able to vote for five un-official members of the Legislative Council. And in the same despatches Sir JOHN BOWRING said that the Chinese, as at Singapore, ought to be put into the Magistracy, made Justices of the Peace. Now, the changes in property that have occurred in this Colony, since the time when Sir JOHN BOWRING made that recom- mendation, have been so great that the majority of the electors that he then indicated would at this day be Chinese. Another Governor, Sir HERCULES ROBINSON, in a despatch describing what the Chinese have done for Hongkong, made the remark that the Cese are more than ninety per cent. of the pontation and that they con- tribute a similon proportion to the revenue.
y
Some years 'wiltint, in a neighbouring colony, in Singape the Governor recommended my old and net friend, Mr. Ho AH KAY WHAM- POA, to avoit on the Council. Mr. WHAMPOA has been a friend and correspondent of mine for more than twelve years, and I can say this for him, that there ever has sat upon the Council of Singapore any non-official member who has been of more assistance to the Government or more
英紳
見南北行 本部堂意在本港凡有英國輪船者中當推他爲巨擘者其人即 英國貨物運來中土南北各處者敬位又見有按 民而來若現在此 海本部堂見有實驗本港殷商者叉
奏 朝廷論及華紳一節該事爾
紳士也本部堂立俳之故不但因他品性高潔又不但因他諳練 部堂之良友也彼此音間往來越十二年矣本部堂亦可言在新嘉波定例局紳力助 堂謇有數次以爲可洽爾輩言此之意蓋知該紳實代爾輩而爲 後載在別藩地新嘉波總督該土者亦嘗保基黄埔胡玉璣爲定例局紳斯人亦本 輔之際頌本部堂因立伍君敘爲定例局紳但未立他以前本部 嘗客 咨内解說華人裨益本港者有云香港民數華八十居其九輪餉之數如之及 郭松先生是又見有代本港各生理而來若又欣念譒在此新多若問幾何則照所指有權可薦紳士者面計目下當以華人爲極衆叉前督憲羅亦
·國家忠事 皇后未嘗有賢於彼者
以華人補授巡理府缺或堂法紳士等語但業主多實之邀較前憲包奏請時更變甚 受地段每輸稅銀土磅已上層有權可薦定圆局紳五名内原須做新嘉波法 八百五十年時嘗言歡任華人贊助國事安奏請 朝廷准在本港設立一法使凡買 此文業經列印前督憲包於一千
英國語言文字法律乃亦因知他實爲爾輩所信賴者