PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
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C.O. 882
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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PROPOSED NEW ROADS.
In order to facilitate the development of the country, and to render its administra- tion easier, it is most important that proper roads should be constructed. On this point I have consulted Mr. Ormsby, whose recommendations, in which I concur, are embodied in a memorandum (see Appendix 4), with which he kindly furnished me. The roads recommended by Mr. Ormsby are marked on Map II.
TELEGRAPHS.
There is a telegraph line, marked on Map II., which runs from Hong Kong through the newly-leased territory to Canton. The line itself, posts, and wires, up to the present boundary between Chinese and British Kowloon, are owned and maintained by the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company. Beyond the British boundary the line is the property of the Chinese Imperial Government, which has a telegraph office in Hong Kong. It would, I presume, be possible, to make arrangements for using the existing line; but on many grounds it appears to be preferable to construct a separate and inde pendent line. If it be ultimately decided to establish the headquarters of the Govern- ment at Taipò Hü, which seems to be the most central position, it will be sufficient, at any rate to begin with, to construct a line from Hong Kong via Kowloon, and over the pasa in the hills behind the latter place, directly to Taipò Hü-a distance of say 10 or 12 miles.
It is estimated that the cost of such a line would amount to $5,000 or $6,000.
RAILWAY.
The construction of a railway between Canton and Kowloon has been mooted for a long time, and some years ago a survey of the country, through which a line might pass, was made on behalf of a syndicate of Chinese. But the scheme appears to have been abandoned, and nothing more was heard of it until quite recently, when it again came under consideration, and is, I understand, at present being discussed.
If a railway be constructed between Canton and Kowloon, there can be no doubt that such a line would greatly aid the development of the new territory, through a portion of which it would pass, and would be of great commercial and political importance, as it would unite more closely with Hong Kong the great commercial city of Southern China and the many towns lying between the city of Canton and that colony.
In the event of a main line being constructed to Canton, it would, no doubt, be advisable to establish branch lines, connecting with the main line, in that portion of the new territory through which the main line will not pass.
It has also been suggested that, even if the Canton-Kowloon line be not established at once, light railways should be constructed in the new area. They would, no doubt, help to develope it and increase its population by attracting people to it, but roads seem to be the first requisite, and should be attended to as soon as possible.
PRESENT GOVERNMENT OF THE SAN ON DISTRICT.
Civil Officers,
The district of San On, within which the area about to be leased is situated, is included in the jurisdiction of the Viceroy of the two Kwong Provinces, who lives at Canton.
The chief civil officer of the district is the magistrate, who resides at Namt'au, and who is responsible to the Viceroy for the good government of the whole district, and whose duties are both judicial and executive.
Under the magistrate are an assistant magistrate and two deputy magistrates. The assistant magistrate resides at Taip'ang. One deputy magistrate is stationed at Fukwing, north-west of Namt'au, the other within the city of Kowloon.
The assistant and deputy magistrates have power to make arrests and conduct preliminary inquiries, but should refer most cases to the magistrates for final decision.
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The magistrate is aided in his duties by secretaries or shihye, who are placed in charge of the departments dealing with crime, revenue, and official correspondence, and by a staff of police or runners, whose duties are referred to more in detail under the head of police.
The magistrate may inflict corporal punishment, and
possesses the power imprisonment, but is not empowered to sentence prisoners to death.
Military Officers
of
In addition to the civil officers there are several military officers in the district. The highest of these is the Taip'ang Hip or colonel commanding at Taipang, a town to the north-east of Mirs Bay. This officer has also quarters at Kowloon, and for this reason is commonly known as the Kowloon Mandarin. He is under the control of the General or Ti Tu of the Kwongtung province, and has under his command several officers and some troops.
Map VII. shows where the various officials are stationed. It will be observed from this map that as a rule the petty military officers. who control the islands do not reside on them, but have their headquarters at Taip'ang, on the mainland.
Prisons.
There is one main prison, situated at Namt'au, and under the control of an officer entitled Tien Shih. The prison is built to accommodate 120 persons, but is seldom occupied by more than 30 of 40. In addition to the prison there are six lock-ups, one for each of the four Tung or Divisions into which the district is divided, and two under the control of the deputy magistrates, for detaining persons pending trial.
Police.
There are two classes of police in the district. One class, called ch'ai or runners, is stationed in the district city under the control of the magistrate. They are about 60 in number and are sent, as occasion requires, throughout the district for a variety of purposes, including the making of arrests, the collecting of the land tax, and acting generally as the eyes and ears of the magistrate. They receive no pay from Govern- ment, but manage to earn a fair livelihood by illicit squeezes.
In addition to this class of police, there are, in each village throughout the district, at least two kang fu or village constables, who are appointed by the village, and paid out of contributions made by the villagers according to the extent of their holdings in land. Large villages have five or six constables, the head constable being styled Tipó. Their duty is to keep watch, especially at night. They have the power of arrest, which is deputed to them by the gentry and elders of the village.
Local Government in the Villages.
The
If a person is arrested by a village constable, he is taken before the gentry and elders of the village, who assemble in a place specially appointed for the purpose. gentry and elders, who are the representatives of the clans inhabiting the villages, are selected by the inhabitants to deal with cases in the village council. The usual cases are those of theft, disputes about land, domestic squabbles, and cases of debt. Most of these cases are summarily dealt with by the village council, and as a rule the decision of that council is accepted as final. But if either of the parties to a case is dissatisfied, he can appeal to a council of the Tung, or to a general council, made up of representa- tives of the different Tung. A reference to Map VI. will show how the newly leased territory is divided into Tung or Divisions. Each council of a Tung contains repre- sentatives of the villages which make up the Tung. In addition to a council of a Tung there is a general council for the whole of the Tung Lo or Eastern Section, which is practically that portion of the district of San On contained in the map attached to the Convention (Map I.). This general council is styled the Tung Ping Kuk or Council of Peace for the Eastern Section. It has its council chamber at the market town of Sham Chun, which is regarded as the centre of the Eastern Section.
If the decision of the council of the Tung or of the General Council is not regarded as satisfactory, an appeal lies to the magistrate of the district.