NOTES AND QUERIES
The total cost is therefore:
Resumptions for sites
$ 3,839.31
Site-preparation
31,500.00
Wells
2,400.00
170,148.00
Houses
8,346.00
Agricultural Resumptions
54,122.47
Forestry resumptions
15,250.00
Pineapple resumptions
8,428.00
Fung Shui or fruit trees
2,165.00
Incidental expenses
700.00
$296,898.78
197
J. A. FRASER,
District Officer, North
9th January, 1928.
D. AU-YEUNG OF LAN NAI TONG'S ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN
OF THE WAR
Round about a century ago, there were a number of small villages in Tsuen Wan. They were the CHENGs and CHEUNGS of Shing Mun Village, the AU-YEUNGs of Lan Nai Tong, the LAWs of Shek Lei Pui Village, the HUIs, TSANGs, WONGS, LAUS of Lo Wai, the YAUs of Kwan Mun Hau and others. The villagers, totalling over one thousand people, made their livelihood out of farming. Although life was hard, they were sufficiently fed and clad. As the villages were connected by intermarriages, feasts and gatherings in which every member participated were held during festive occasions.
One day, two brothers of the AU-YEUNG clan returned from abroad,* bringing with them a lot of luggage and gifts. On their way to the village, they met some Shing Mun villagers who happened to be carrying brushwood to Shamshuipo (Kowloon) for sale.
*'abroad' could mean anything, including Hong Kong! See District Commissioner New Territories Annual Departmental Report 1956-57, para. 3.