CHINA
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from the newly-leased territories outside the city which are exclusively under British jurisdiction; the people within the city therefore without exception come in every respect under the control of the Chinese Government and the authority of His Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong cannot of course be exercised within the city.
In His Majesty's Minister's note under acknowledgment it is stated that "the vast majority of the residents of Kowloon City have gladly accepted the Governor's offer," but, according to the reports quoted above they were, in fact, overawed by a display of authority and did not gladly accept the terms offered.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs have the honour therefore to reiterate their request that the Hong Kong Government be moved to reconsider the matter in a spirit of equity and immediately withdraw or suspend the orders issued regarding the residents of Kowloon City, so that friendly relations may be strengthened. The favour of a reply is requested.
(Stamp of Ministry for Foreign Affairs.)
F 5443/4264/10/1935
Chinese Special Delegate for Foreign Affairs to His Majesty's Consul-General, Canton
(Translation) Sir,
29th June, 1935.
I have the honour to refer to the Hong Kong Government's orders to the residents of Kowloon City to move out and to my letter of 28th June, 1933, which was based on the Anglo-Chinese Treaty for the Development of the Territory of Hong Kong concluded on 9th June, 1898, wherein it was provided that Kowloon City shall remain under Chinese jurisdiction and in which I asked that the Hong Kong Government may be requested to cancel its original proposal ordering the removal of the Kowloon City residents, as is on record.
[There follows a detailed statement of complaints received from inhabitants of Kowloon City.]
I have the honour to refer in this connexion to a copy (sent me by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs) of a memorandum sent to the Ministry by His Majesty's Minister wherein it was stated "The Governor of Hong Kong has not issued any orders to the Kowloon City residents requiring their removal within a specified time limit. Only a notification was sent them, proposing a very generous offer, which most of them have been glad to accept.' The statement that most of the residents had been glad to accept the offer refers presumably to the verbal consent given by a portion of the Kowloon City residents. Such consent, however, was given solely due to their being frightened at the fate of the Kowloon Tsui residents. They have now understood that Kowloon Tsui is within leased territory whereas Kowloon City still remains under Chinese sovereignty. As to the orders issued to Ng Cheong and five others by the District Office, Southern District, requiring their removal within specified time, such action evidently is at variance with the spirit of the statement in His Majesty's Minister's memo- randum that the Governor of Hong Kong has not issued orders to Kowloon City residents requiring their removal.
I have the honour to point out that as Kowloon City is Chinese territory and has not been leased to Great Britain, the Government of Hong Kong has not, under any circumstances, the power to order its residents to move elsewhere. As to the frequent summonses issued to the Kowloon City residents by the District Office, Southern District, apart from the consideration of travelling expenses from Kowloon City to Hong Kong, all the residents in that city earn their living by manual labour, and each day they suspend work, they lose that day's income. They consider this a hardship.
In view of the above, I have the honour to write you accordingly and to request that the Government of Hong Kong may be asked not to give further orders to the Kowloon City residents requiring their removal, and that the District Office, Southern District, may be instructed not to issue summonses except in cases of absolute necessity, in order to promote our friendly relations.
I have the honour to request the favour of a reply.
I have, &c.
KAN CHIA HOU.
Special Delegate.
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