Sir A. Caldecott said that it would create an
enclave in which anti-Japanese and anti-British agitation
could be carried on inside the small walled area which
could not be touched if it were under the control of a
Chinese Magistrate. There was a constant fear of violent
anti-Japanese agitation taking place, while it would
moreover give an assembling place for ill-disposed Chinese
to organise racial and industrial unrest, drug smuggling
and heroin manufacture, and possibly also coastal piracy.
In his opinion, if we admitted Chinese
He
jurisdiction in Kowloon, our control of the whole colony
would be jeopardised. As far as the Chinese Government
were concerned, it was purely a question of prestige, but
if we allowed this claim then they would want more and
would demand jurisdiction in the Leased Territories.
pointed out that a Chinese Magistrate in Kowloon would in
any case try to exercise a wider jurisdiction over Chinese
nationals within the boundaries of the colony and that
there would be a constant effort on the part of the Chinese
Government to extend this jurisdiction. As an example of
the Chinese attitude towards the colony he said that when
it had been proposed to elect representatives for the
China Peoples' Council, the Chinese Government had
arranged publicity in Hong Kong for a member to be
elected for the "constituency of Hong Kong".
Mr. Gent said that he presumed Chinese law would
run