52
ENCLOSURE NO. 1 IN COLONIAL SECRETARY'S MINUTE OF THE 1ST MAY, 1899.
MA ON-KI States :--
I am a native of Ún Iu. I have some land there. Last year I sold a piece of land to the Company. I sold it in the 8th moon of last year. I gave a deed. I was paid 205 dollars. The price was a fair one. I sold the land willingly. No one brought any pressure to bear on me. The transaction has not been registered in the San On Magistrate's office. The piece of land is in Tái pó t'au. I do not wish to buy the land hack. I sold the land because I wanted the money. No one told me that if I did not sell the land it would be confiscated by the British Authorities. The transaction was a perfectly voluntary one.
馬 MA
安 ON
基KI
Statement made before me this 1st day of May, 1899.
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary.
(Governor to Colonial Secretary.)
HONOURABLE COLONIAL SECRETARY,
3rd May, 1899.
I do not see why there should be any interference in such a case as this. Two men of their own free will make a bargain. The only grounds for interference would be a fraudulent statement by the purchaser to induce the seller to part with his property under its value. Our proclamation was intended primarily to apply to land sold by the Chinese Government after date of Convention.
HENRY A. BLAKE.
(Colonial Secretary to Governor.)
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
Tár ró, 5th May, 1899.
The reason why I forwarded this statement was that there was a rumour here that the man had sold his land compulsorily and under threats and that the pur- chaser had induced the seller to part with his property under its value by a frau- dulent statement. The man's evidence shows the rumour is without foundation.
I understood that the proclaination was issued to prevent all transactions in land. On this point I should be glad to receive definite instructions.
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,
Colonial Secretary.
(Colonial Secretary's Minute of the 3rd May, 1899.)
YOUR EXCELLENCY,
Tái ró, 3rd May, 1899.
With regard to the alleged doings of the Land Company to which attention has been drawn, I would submit that it would be best, in the first instance, for the Land Officer here to investigate this matter. He could call upon the land- holders in each district to forward to him any complaints they have to make and he could inquire into them on the spot. If after his investigation a Commission is considered desirable, it could be appointed. I think the truth would be more easily arrived at in this manner than by a Commission composed of members who live far away from the territory and who would have to summon witnesses to appear before them in Hongkong. The summoning of such witnesses would become known and it is not unlikely that they would be got at.
J. H. STEWART LOCKHART, Colonial Secretary.