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nor had I at that time any knowledge of the circumstances
connected with Mr. Ho Tung which have been detailed in
paragraph 4. The Chief Justice, thereupon, wrote to me
contending that Mr. Ho Tung could not be regarded as a
Chinese but asking, if my view differed on that point,
for exemption for him from provisions of the Ordinance.
6.
This application I considered in
Executive Council. It was pointed out that Mr. Ho Tung had
selected a Chinese name; had adopted a Chinese mode of
life with a plurality of wives; had occupied a purely
Chinese profession as Compradore to Messrs. Jardine,
Matheson and Company; had been Chairman of the Tung Wa
Hospital Committee, and a member of various Bodies composed
exclusively of Chinese; that he had desired to stand as a
Chinese Member of Council, and that he was classed as a
Chinese by the Chinese Community. It was decided that he
must be considered to be of Chinese race. On the question
as to whether an exemption should be granted to Mr. Ho
Tung it was urged by Sir Paul Chater and others who are
well qualified by long residence and knowledge of the
Chinese to form an authoritative opinion, that the
Chinese attached very special importance to residence in
this particular house as it overlooked and dominated the
Governor's