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He rose to the defence of Ho Tung. "Gentlemen, you must not think that this is an agitation on the part of Mr. Ho Tung. He has taken part in the matter simply out of public spirit.”
Not every Chinese was in sympathy with the protest movement. These Ho A-mei rebuked: "I say those persons are not Chinese ... simply because they are not affected they stand by and laugh, they ought to be condemned. (Applause). We do not say that the Government does not respect us, but some of the Chinese do not respect themselves. (Applause)." He may well have meant these barbs against Dr. Ho Kai, the Chinese representative on the Legislative Council.
In concluding his speech Ho A-mei acknowledged that he may have been carried away in his remarks by the passion of the moment and that not everyone would be pleased with what he had said: "My expressions may have been too strong in some cases; the police, for instance, might not like some of my expressions, and I may be mistaken in some points." He then called for an open airing of views. “I ask you to express your opinion on the subject... This is a public meeting, and I ask you to come forward and speak in the interest of the public."
The response to this plea was a speech by Mr. Ho Tung. He opened by disclaiming that the meeting was called at his instigation, not for any personal reason. Though it was nowhere directly stated, it seemed that Ho Tung had been subjected to arrest and humiliating treatment by the police for not observing the light regulation, and for this reason had got up the petition against it.
Ho Tung noted Dr. Ho Kai's absence at a public meeting to discuss a matter which affected the whole Chinese community: “I thought Dr. Ho Kai would have attended as the representative of the Chinese in the Legislative Council, as we wished him to come here and express his views, and I am surprised that he is absent.”
Ho Tung maintained that there was at times a necessity for legitimate protest against unjust measures, in spite of the fact that "some people may think we must subject ourselves to every ordinance that the Government might think fit to pass."