684
Legislative Council Chambers,
Hongkong, 24th March, 1900. 12603
24 APR 20
To The Right Honourable
Joseph Chamberlain,
sir,
Secretary of State for the Colonies,
&C,
80,
800,
I have the honour to hand you herewith copy of my Pro-
test laid by me upon the table of the Legislative Council of Hongkong at its last meeting under the provisions of Rule 32 of the Standing Rules and Orders of the Council.
This Protest embodies a statement of my reasons for dissenting from the proceedings of the Council in connection with a Bill entitled "An Ordinance to facilitate the hearing "determination and settlement of land claims in the New Terri- "tories to establish a Land Court and for other purposes." There were certain technical objections to proceeding with the Bill in its present form which are of little practical import- ance and with reference to which I would not trouble you if I had no more substantial objection to the Bill, but after care- ful consideration and after taking the best advice available, I am so fully convinced that the provisions of the Bill are unjust to the Chinese population of the New Territories and are a violation of the provisions of the Convention under which those Territories have been leased to the Crown that I deem it my duty to call your attention to them, to pray you to have it examined and reported on, and to direct its suspension or amend
ment.
The