the measure. new laws, and of the advantage likely to accrue to Government by the repeal of this
I consider it the more advisable to afford some few remarks inasmuch, especially through the medium of the public Press, it was attempted to show that by both the Registration and Harbour and Coast Ordinances such fear would be instilled in the minds of the Chinese as to cause them to leave the Colony in great numbers. Far from this being the case I have it on undoubted authority that by that great outlet for migration, temporary or otherwise, of the native Community of Hongkong, namely the Canton Steamers, the population of these coming and going was so nearly equally balanced that during the last quarter of 1886, no more than 648 left the Colony in excess of those who arrived, and this too at a time when owing to the unusually early falling of the Chinese New Year it might have been expected that under ordinary circumstances a larger number might have left this port for the customary festivities on the Mainland.
Thus much for what occurred in Hongkong before the Ordinances referred to were brought into operation, when the minds of the natives were filled, intelligibly so (for we have not a highly intellectual class here) with apprehensions about the claims likely to be made on them.
During the past month numerous instances have occurred which clearly prove that as far as the respectable portion of the native Community concerned, a readiness has been exhibited to comply with the law which has been, taking all things together, somewhat surprising. Of the number thus registered, three-fifths certainly belong to that class of the residents who more especially come in contact with the Foreign merchants, and whose continued stay in the Colony it was the interest of all to support. It is true that not much more than one half of the houses occupied...
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