33
Originally compiled in 1955 by Mr. B D Wilson, MA, District Officer in the New Territories Administration. These notes were revised from time to time in the light of the comments of other officers of that Administration and of the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs and have been circulated among the Administration though not published. I gratefully record my thanks to Mr GCM Lupton, District Officer, Tupo who made available to me the latest revision dated 15th September 1959.
For the customs of the sea-dwelling Tanka and Hoklo I have relied upon material collected by Mr W Duncan of the Department of Co-operative Development and Fisheries. He generously provided me with a copy of that material which in due course he proposes to publish.
The following brief topographical description is based on the Reports DCNT 1952-53 paras 1-5 as amended by the 1953-54 paras. 1-4; a scientific and detailed description is to be found in Tregear, Land Use in Hong Kong and the New Territories. Hong Kong Univ Press. 1958 (The World Land Use Survey Monograph).
Analysis of Census Returns, Hong Kong 1961, Table I.
Vide Reports, DCNT, 1952-53 para 5 and 1959-60 para 49.
Report, DCNT, 1954-55, para 8.
Vide Ballou's article "Hong Kong Before the British" in T'ien Hsia Monthly, Shanghai, 1941, pp 331, and 334-336 (Balfour's article is of great authority as it was based on the official local history of the area of Hong Kong and the New Territories "The Topography of the San On District" dated 1820 being a revised version of earlier editions dating back to the 15th century).
"Native to the country" a Hakka expression for the Cantonese (Reports, DCNT, 1954-55. para 8 and Ballou, op cit p332).
Balfour, op cit p 332.
Reports, DCNT, 1954-55, para 8.
Balfour, loc cit.
Ibid.
Balfour, op cit p 445.
Reports, DCNT, 1959-60, para 45.
Ballou, op cit pp 445 and 448.