( 20 )
Appendix E.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A SALT DEPOT IN THE CENTRE OF THE COLONY FOR ISSUING LICENCES AND COLLECTING DUES FROM HONGKONG FISHERMEN, SEIZURE OF FISH BY TWO CRUISERS OF A SALT FARMER, THE FISH BROUGHT BY THE CRUISERS TO THE COLONY.
No. 92.
SIR,
The Registrar General to Colonial Secretary.
REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 26th April, 1883.
I have the honour to forward a Petition from two fishermen of Shau-ki Wan, Masters of Licensed Fishing Junks, Nos. ... and ..., who complain of having had their fish taken from them by a Cruiser in the employ of the Yan-wo Tong, No. 167, Praya West.
From information given me yesterday by the Master of a Fish Lán who has been 43 years in this Colony, I gather that, before and since Hongkong was a British Colony, all junks engaged in the salt-fish trade here have had to take out Permits from the Salt Farmer, who obtains his monopoly from the Salt Commissioner of the Two Kwang. Formerly, these Permits were issued at Nam Tan, and at a branch establishment on the neighbouring island of Chéung Chan. At the Chinese New Year this Cheung Chau branch was removed to No. 187, Praya West, where, under the designation of the Yan-wo Tong, it issues Permits to Hongkong Licensed Junks to salt fish on the high seas.
The price paid for the Permits varies with the quantity of salt to be used by the fishermen. I enclose a fac-simile (seals excepted) of the Permit issued to Petitioner--who had to pay $2.75 for it. When he used to get his annual Permit at Chéung Chau he had to pay but $2 for it. I am unable to enclose the original, because the poor man cannot earn his living without it; but I had it in my possession for some hours, and I certify that the enclosed is, as already stated, an exact copy.
I am not aware whether the Yan-wo Tong have heard of Petitioner being at this Office; but, yesterday, they made, I am told, an offer to restore the fish. When Petitioners went for their property, it was refused under the pretext that the Master had gone to Canton. This morning, however, the offer was renewed, accompanied with a promise of compensation for deterioration, the fish having been placed in the Yan-wo Tong before they were properly cured.
Supposing then that my information is correct, and I see no reason to doubt it, the state of things is simply this, that every fishing junk belonging to the Colony has to take out a Permit from the Chinese Government to salt the fish it takes on the high seas, and this Permit has to be obtained at a Chinese Revenue Office on the Praya in Hongkong.
(Signed)
FREDERICK STEWART, Registrar General.
( 21 )
459
men on board this cruiser, Petitioners produced their Salt certificates, but they said the certificates could not be passed, and forcibly robbed Petitioners of more than ten piculs of fish,* all the fish they had on board their junks. Petitioners dared not offer any resistance, and allowed them to take away the fish. Immediately afterwards, Petitioners returned to Hongkong, and went and asked the Yan-wo Tong Salt Farm No. 167, Praya West, why their Salt certificates were not passed, and why the men on board the said cruiser robbed them of their fish. The sellers of Salt certificates said that the cruiser belonged to them, but they must find out what quantity of fish had been taken before they could settle the matter. They neither gave a definite answer nor undertook to recover the same for Petitioners at once. Having bought Salt certificates with which they proceed to sea to catch fish, Petitioners consider that all cruisers belonging to the Salt Farm should allow them to pass after the certificates have been produced and examined. Why should the men on board the said cruiser, in the present case, refuse to pass their certificates and rob them of their fish? Petitioners feel aggrieved at this, and therefore implore Your Honour to issue a warrant for the arrest of the Yan-wo Tong, and recover the fish for them.
(Paper attached).
CHÁN Tsoi-Li's Salt certificates having been seized by cruiser No. 1, it is necessary to wait till the return of the said cruiser, (to the Colony) when the things (taken from him) will be returned.
Dated 16th day, 3rd moon, 9th year of Kwong Sü (2nd April, 1883).
* Nearly 12 cwt.
(Copy)
No. 80.
Seal of Pün Kün San Os Salt Farm.
The Registrar General to Colonial Secretary,
REGISTRAR GENERAL'S OFFICE,
HONGKONG, 9th May, 1885.
The Honourable W. H. Marsh, C.M.G., Colonial Secretary.
Petition from Chán Tsoi-li and Keung Hing-li.
Mr. ...
In continuation of my letter No. 22 of the 16th ultimo, (C.S.O. No. 1052.) I have the honour to enclose statements made to me by Mr. ... and Inspector CAMERON regarding the Branch Office of the Chinese Salt Farm in this Colony, that goes by the name of the Yan-wo Tong, at No. 167, Praya West.
These statements, together with the Licence which was obtained by ... clearly prove the existence of the establishment and the nature of its operations.
The information now obtained may be of use to the Commission on Smuggling.
I have, &c.,
(Signed)
FREDERICK STEWART,
THE REGISTRAR GENERAL.
CHÁN TSOI-LI and KEUNG HING-LY respectively of fishing junks Nos. ... and ... at Shan-ki Wan present a petition praying that an enquiry may be made into a case in which they have been robbed.
On the 15th of this moon about 3 P.M., (21st April, 1888), while Petitioners, who have for a long time been earning their livelihood by fishing, were sailing their junks on the waters of Kwo-chan, they encountered a cruiser belonging to the Yan-wo Tong Salt Farm, Hongkong. At the request of the ...