CO537-3711 — Page 103

Territories, one article of which states:-

"It is at the same time agreed that within the City

of Kowloon the Chinese Ofiloials now stationed there shall

continue to exercise jurisdiction except so far sa may be in-

consistent with the military requirements for the defense of

Hong Kong within the retainder of the newly-leased territory

Great Britain shall have sole jurisdiction".

As Chinese „fficials may continuo their duties in

Kowloon City, it is quite plain that though the extended

territory was being la sed to Great Britain, Kowloon City was

to be under the control of Chinese. The further rovision in

the article that the rest of the territory would be controlled

by Britain further confires the fact that it was the intention

at the conclusion of the treaty that Ko«l on City was not to be

controlled by Britain.

In the late Ching Dynasty, une civil fficial,

the sub-magistrate, and a colonel and his subordinate ilitary

officers were stationed in Kowloon City. han the Hongkong

Government took over the newly-leased territory outside of

Kowloon City, these officials were made to withdraw by force.

Since the establishment of the Republic, no officials have been

stationed in the City.

But the withdrawal of the officials in the Ching

AS

Dynasty, and the non-appointment of officials during the

Reublic, do not alter the meaning of the Treaty then concluded,

nor do they cancel the rights provided by the Treaty.

Kowloon City is to be controlled by Chinese Officials, then

Chinese residents inside the city should have free residential

rights. The Hongkong Government's orders for all the residents

in the city to move out therefore are not all in confirmity with

the text of the Treaty or with the spirit prevailing at the

conclusion of the Treaty.

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