66
"Kwong Hung to run from Shau Chung to Hong Kong and refused to pay the 20 cash (now 2 cents) per head toll on passengers embarking and landing on and from his launch at Sha U Chung. This action of his gave rise to the first trouble, which was settled by Pun Sik Man agreeing to pay the toll. But he refused to pay it to the full body of councillors of the Kuk on the ground that the finances of the Kuk had been mismanaged in the past, and he succeeded in detaching from the Kuk two of its four members, namely Pun Ming In and Wong In Pong, who set up a separate Kuk.
To this false Kuk, as the Councillors of the original Kuk call it, Pun Sik Man has, I am given to understand, paid the toll. Thereupon Pun Chuk Sam and his partner, being the lessees of the shore and backed by Li Ping-in and Wong Tsz Kwan, members of the Kuk, and by Pun Ling (assistant member), in self-defence started a launch, the Lee Kwong, on their account.
**Thereupon a tariff war ensued, the rate of 40 cents per passenger for the single trip being gradually reduced to 5 cents and finally to nothing in the race of competition. This killed the "Lee Kwong" and Pun Sik Man was left master of the situation. Then Pun Chuk Sam formed a partnership with Wong Chuk Ping, and, still backed by the same party, stepped in again and started the "Nam Chan" - the launch that has been recently interfered with.
Pun Sik Man and his party having killed the opposition for a time, then endeavoured to get the monopoly into their hands, and they now seek to strengthen their position by obtaining permission to erect a wharf.
Pun