C.0. 16657 RECO C Roof 27 JUN 19
Tai Po, 5th May, 1899.
507
Your Excellency,
I submit herewith a translation of a Chinese petition presented to the Sun On Magistrate on the 18th April last by the literati of the Starling Inlet Division. I had heard that such a petition was on record in the Yemen of the San On Magistrate and took steps to obtain a copy which reached me to-day. I have lost no time in translating it and the answer given to the petitioners by the Magistrate.
The petition is of importance as it shows how the people were misled and incited to resist by imaginary evils manufactured by the literati. It is interesting to note that there is no reference of any kind to the doings of the Land Company, and that the petitioners all belong to the literati class.
You will observe that the petition accuses the British Government in Hong-Kong of oppressive Government and of having poisoned Chinese without number during the plague epidemic some years ago.
The petition was presented on the 18th April last to the San-on Magistrate who, instead of at once taking steps to deny the atrocious libels of the petitioners, which he well knew to be absolutely devoid of truth, practically acquiesced in them by saying he would enquire into them and act accordingly.
The persons who presented the petition do not desire to be governed by the British. It will therefore be no hardship to them to turn them out of our territory, and I recommend that they be sent away as being dangerous to the peace and good order of the territory, and their property confiscated and devoted to public purposes.
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There