Thereupon a Committee meeting was held when it was unanimously agreed to address your Excellency on the subject on their behalf, and to urge the following points for your Excellency's kind consideration.
In August 1882, Captain S. G. Green of S. S. "Tamuadice" the first steamer that called at Sandakan en route from Australia to Hongkong, wrote a graphic and interesting account of the attractions and capabilities of the port of Sandakan. Another advertisement of equal if not greater importance appeared in the Chinese issue of the Hongkong Daily Press. It was a public notice to the Chinese by Sir Water Medhurst, on behalf of the British North Borneo Company, explaining the history of the acquisition of the territory and the plans and intentions of the Company with regard to emigrants and settlers from China, and appealing to the Chinese to hasten to avail themselves of so favour- able an opportunity for seeking their fortunes out of their own
country.
On or about the 15th September 1882 the pioneer steamer the S. S. "Haitan" of Messrs. Douglas Lapruik & Co., sailed from Hongkong with a general cargo of merchandise and a good number of Chinese tradesmen and merchants, the latter mainly came down here on prospecting principle, to see with their own eyes, the resources and requirements of the country, and en- couraged by the fact that the new country bears the name of British North Borneo, meaning to be under British control the same as other British Colonies. Thereafter large number of our countrymen began to pour in, under the able management of Sir Walter Medhurst who remained in Hongkong to superin- tend. Our countrymen in fact did all the rough work in opening up this country and did most of the trade with the neighbour- ing colonies. Many have flourished and many failed, but sorry to say the latter predominated, and many have also buried their bones and thousands of dollars in this country.
It inay be mentioned that our countrymen did the first pioneer work in timber cutting in North Borneo for export to Hongkong by sailing boats under the name of Kwong Fat & Co., the business was eventually taken upon or transferred tu Messrs. Kim Eng Watt, who are still operating to this day.
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Only a few lucky old firms survived in their attempt, and with the usual characteristic have gone further to improve their trade for the benefit of themselves as well as for the benefit of the country by taking up the timber trade, and after expending much time nad trouble and a good deal of money over this new enterprise, are
• now suddenly told to stop cutting and exporting after the expiration of their existing timber licences, because a mopaly of State landd has been given to a new Company only started at the beginning of the year, ousting out all our countrymen from partaking in a legitimate trade which they have already undertaken and dropped a good sum over it, and intended to carry on for an indefinite period as long as their capital would last.
We respectfully beg to submit that such withdrawal of privilege from the Chinese from a legitimate trade, will dis- courage the present and future capitalists, traders and merchants from putting any or more money into this country, either to improve their trade or start any new undertaking. Moreover, we are afraid that if the above news gets into the ears of the people especially in South China and elsewhere, it may to certain extent cause a stumbling block to intending emigrants and settlers from coming to this country to try their luck. Why not live and let live?
With these few remarks we respectfully beg your Excellency to kindly review this order as notified by the Acting Conservator of Forests and to permit the existing Chinese timber cutters to continue their avocation as hitherto carried on by them, or give them the same privilege as the New Company.
We have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your Excellency's obedient servants,
TSANG PING KWONG
President.
KWAN YUK KWONG
Hou: Secretary.
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