COPY.
CONFIDENTIAL.
End osure
Hon. Attorney-General,
17
10079
178
Reat REC. 2 APR 18
The Secretary for Chinese Affairs has sent me
these confidential papers. He asks me to give you my views on the subject, and particularly on the charges against the three men Lam Tan Chiu, Li Hong Mi and Lo Taz Sau.
The whole matter is one about which, as you know, Barristers have little opportunity of learning except by what other people tell us. But during the time (since 1894) that I have practised here, I have constantly heard from those who are in a position to know, and whom I believe, that the champertous insitution and conduct of dishonest cases prevails among a certain class of solicitors' Chinese clerks; of whom I have frequently heard these three men, and especially the first two, named as about the most active, able and unscrupulous.
From the nature of the matter it would of course be very difficult, if not impossible, to produce the evidence necessary to substantiate such charges before a Court. Those who can give the evidence would in all probability decline to come forward publicly. I am convinced however that the charges are only too well founded, and I know that this blot on the administra- -tion of law is recognised in the Chinese community at amounting
to a scandal.
a
I have some personal knowledge of certain
recent cases which the Secretary for Chinese Affairs has mentioned
to me,
and of which he has had particulars from various sources; 8.g. the Un family action referred to by Mr. Shenton, and the
partnership action Ho Chlu Lam v. Ho Ngok Lau, and the Full Court appeal in the action Lau Kau Shi v. Bank of Canton. These .cases were clearly dishonest; and my knowledge, so far as it goes, con-
-firms the reporta made to the Secretary for Chinese Affairs that
these cases were chempertously run by syndicates organised by and