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paid fishing taxes in respect of an undefined area in the district of San On held by "Ancestor Lan Kwai Fuk". Kowloon is not mentioned in the tax receipts.
The Government made enquiries with regard to the ownership of the fishing rights represented by these taxes, and discovered that these rights belonged to the Lam clan of Chek Mei in San On, the fishing rights having been granted originally to Lam Kwai Fuk and that the rights were limited to the digging for shell fish, catching fish and beaming boats.
The head of the Lam clan deposed before the Crown Solicitor that he had never heard of the alleged sale of these fishing rights in 1883 (the date of the forged deed) that there was no such person as the Yut Ying named in the deed of 1883 and that the claimants had no power to sell the fishing rights of the clan to any person.
Messrs. Hastings and Hastings.
I have etc.,
(Sd.) A. M. Thomson,
Colonial Secretary.