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wil. TİL ki Inbronoun glic'h-
Enclosure 4.
C
COPY.
Notes
41103 an interview with Hon. Dr. Ho Kein and
210 Mr."wei Tuk on the 11th. November, 1911126 DEC II
of
Mr. Hallifax, Registrar-General, and Dr. Ho Kai and lar. Wei Yuk called at Government House by invitation on Saturday the 11th. October at noon with regard to the proposal to hold a demonstration on Monday in recognition of the declara -tion of the republic in Canton. Mr. Vei explained that feeling in Hongkong was entirely on the side of the republicans, that it would be impossible to prevent the demonstration which was to be confined to the firing of crackers for two hours and the closing of shops, and that if people were to be prosecuted for firing without a permit a number of persons who might only have fired to do the same as their neighbours and who otherwise would have taken no share in the demonstration would be punished. The Governor deprecated any demonstration: he pointed out that there could be no official recognition of the republic, that its position was as yet insecure and that while the spontaneous demonstration on the supposed fall of Peking was pardonable and could be winked at, breaches of the law could not be winked at a second time. Dr. Ho Kai and Mr. Vei explained that the pro- -posed demonstration was one of relief on learning that Canton
by allegiance had changed sends without bloodshed, and was a very natural one, apart altogether from politics, as so many Hongkong people had relatives in Canton. Ultimately the Governor directed the Registrar-General to notify the demonstrators that cracker firing would be permitted from 12 to 2 on the understanding that it was to signify joy at the absence of bloodshed in Canton,
to request them to insert a notification to that effect in the
press, and to warn them that persons firing crackers outside
the prescribed time would be prosecuted. The police were to be
where directed to prosecute only in cases, the firing was much outside the time.
Dr. Ho Kai stated that information had reached him that General Lung's troops had joined the Revolutionary
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