these men have made special endeavours to buy off title deeds. They began their operations at Castle Peak and Kap Shui Mun before the inspection of the territory by M. Lockhart. They have devoted their attention to the other two places mentioned since the inspection. They have succeeded in acquiring title to land at Kap Shui Mun, Castle Peak, and Cheung Chau. In the case of Tai Po Hii their operations have been blocked owing to the refusal of the Sau On Magistrate to stamp the transfers.
The Magistrate objected to stamp them on the ground that he had now no power to do so.
Informant alleges that Ng Lo Sau and Tang Yung Shen are the agents of the Hon'ble Wai Yuk and the How Ho Kai and some others, who have formed themselves into a syndicate to acquire land in favourable situations. The informant states most positively that Ng Lo Sam and Tang Yung Shen have spread a rumour among the inhabitants of the new Territory, that when the British take over the Territory the present inhabitants will be dispossessed of their property in it. This rumour has been spread with a view to assisting the agents of the Syndicate to drive advantageous bargains and acquire land cheaply. These tactics have succeeded, and the agents have actually acquired land and houses at very cheap rates at the 4 places mentioned, the transfers not being completed (as above explained) in Tai Po Hii.
The informant states that Kam Tin has a good reputation. If violence had been offered at Sha Tau when the people are turbulent it would not have been a matter of surprise. But at Kam Tin the reason for the opposition lies with the agents of the syndicate who are hated throughout the new territory.
The last point the informant emphasized was that the inhabitants of Sham Chun are absolutely opposed to acquisition by Great Britain and will fight to oppose it.
25 October. The informant further states that when the land at Cheung Sha Wan which belonged to the Tang family was bought by Messrs Wai Yuk and Ho Kai, another Syndicate, the negotiations were conducted by Tang Yung Shen as representing the Tang family. There is a branch of the Tang family at...