:
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Governor's residence, and that in consequence the King's
representative would be subordinated in the eyes of the
ignorant Chinese, and that this objection was emphasized
by the fact that the proposed tenant was an illegitimate
half-caste whose wives and Concubines numbered four.
It was pointed out by others that
Mr. Ho Tung already possessed a house at the Peak, which
he was at liberty to occupy and that if he were allowed to
rent a house on the plea that he was already a Peak
resident in posse a precedent would be set by which the
Ordinance might be largely evaded.
The Council agreed that in these
circumstances an exemption should not be granted. No
application had at this time been made by Mr. Ho Tung
himself nor has any been made since. The matter had
originated with the Chief Justice who urged that he would
be at a monetary loss if an exemption were not made Sir
•
Paul Chater went so far as to say that he considered the
effect of granting the exemption would be so bad that he
would gladly pay the rent in question himself.
7.
I informed Sir F. Piggott that
the exemption would not be granted, and looking to his
position as Chief Justice, and to the somewhat personal
nature