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Appendix E.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A SALT DEPÔT IN THE CENTRE OF THE COLONY FOR ISSUING
LICENCES AND COLLECTING DUES FROM HONGKONG FISHERMEN, SEIZURE OF FISH BY TWO CRUISERS OF A SALT FARMER, THE FISH
BROUGHT BY THE CRUISERS TO THE COLONY.
No. 22.
The Registrar General to Colonial Secretary,
REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 26th April, 1883.
SIR,
I have the honour to forward a Petition from two fishermen of Shau-ki Wan, Masters of Licensed Fishing Junks, Nos.
who complain of having had their fish taken from them by a Cruiser
and
in the employ of the Yan-wo T'ong, No. 167, Praya West.
From information given me yesterday by the Master of a Fish Lán who has been 43 years in this Colony, I gather that, before and since Hongkong was a British Colony, all junks engaged in the salt- fish trade here have had to take out Permits from the Salt Farmer, who obtains his monopoly from the Salt Commissioner of the Two Kwang. Formerly, these Permits were issued at Nam T'au, and at a branch establishment on the neighbouring island of Cheung Chau. At the Chinese New Year this Cheung Chau branch was removed to No. 167, Praya West, where, under the designation of the Yan-wo T'ong, it issues Permits to Hongkong Licensed Junks to salt fish on the high seas.
The price paid for the Permits varies with the quantity of salt to be used by the fishermen. I enclose a fac-simile (seals excepted) of the Permit issued to Petitioner-
who had to pay $2.75 for it. When he used to get his annual Permit at Cheung Chau he had to pay but $2 for it. I am unable to enclose the original, because the poor man cannot earn his living without it; but I had it in my possession for some hours, and I certify that the enclosed is, as already stated, an exact copy,
I am not aware whether the Yan-wo T'ong have heard of Petitioner being at this Office; but, yesterday, they made, I am told, an offer to restore the fish. When Petitioners went for their property, it was refused under the pretext that the Master had gone to Canton. This morning, however, the offer was renewed, accompanied with a promise of compensation for deterioration, the fish having been placed in the Yan-wo Tong before they were properly cured.
Supposing then that my information is correct, and I see no reason to doubt it, the state of things is simply this, that every fishing junk belonging to the Colony has to take out a Permit from the Chinese Government to salt the fish it takes on the high seas, and this Permit has to be obtained at a Chinese Revenue Office on the Praya in IIongkong.
The Honourable W. H. MARSH, C.M.G.,
To the Honourable,
Colonial Secretary, &c., &c.,
dc.
(Signed)
FREDERICK STEWART, Registrar General.
Petition from Chán Tsoi-li and Keung Hing-li.
THE REGISTRAR GENERAL.
CHÁN TSOI-LI and KEUNG HING-LI respectively of fishing junks Nos. and at Shau-ki Wan present a petition praying that an enquiry may be made into a case in which they have been robbed.
On the 15th of this moon about 3 P.M., (21st April, 1883), while Petitioners, who have for a long time been earning their livelihood by fishing, were sailing their junks on the waters of Kwo-chau, they encountered a cruiser belonging to the Yan-wo T'ong Salt Farm, Hongkong. At the request of the
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