From:
To:
COPY.
Inspector-General of Foreign Affairs.
H.M.Consul-General, Canton.
28th June 1933.
38
sir,
With reference to the orders of Hongkong Government
requiring the removal of all residents from Kowloon
City, I have the honour to inform you of an appeal made
to me by representatives of these residents. These
people stated they have been inhabitants of Kowloon for
generations without trouble. In the reign of Kwang Hau of
the late Ching Dynasty, Kowloon was leased to Great Britain,
but it was stipulated then that only areas outside the city
were leased, the city itself being retained under Chinese
control, and the inhabitants continuing to attend to their
pursuits as usual. Lately, however, the District offic er(?)
for the Southern District of the Hongkong Government issued
orders requiring all these inhabitants to move their houses
to enable the laying out of a public park. They accordingly
appealed for negotiations to be conducted for the protection
of their interests.
I have, accordingly, transmitted their application
to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from which I am now in
receipt of a reply ordering me to conduct investigations and
to take up negotiations in accordance with treaty provisions.
I have also received a communication from the Kwang tung
Provincial Government informing me of a similar app eal
from the Kowloon City residents. The provincial Government,
besides ordering the Magistrate of Po-ün to conduct
investigations, has also requested me to take up
necessary negotiations.
the
I have the honour to refer to the Sino-British
Treaty concluded on the 21st day of the 4th Moon, 24th Year
of/