CO882-(4-5) — Page 619

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 882

5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO |

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

[16.]

May 3, 1899.

WITH regard to the closing of the Land Company, to which attention has been drawn, I would submit that it would be best in the first instance for the Land Officer here to investigate the matter. He could call upon the landholders in each district to forward him any complaints they had to make, and he could enquire into them on the spot. If, after his investigation, a committee is considered desirable, it could be appointed. I think the truth would be more easily arrived at in the manner I suggested than by a Committee composed of members who live far away from the territory, and who would have to summon witnesses to appear before them in Hong Kong. The sum- moning of such witnesses would become known, and it is not unlikely that they would be got at.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

[17.]

J. H. STEWART Lockhart.

Taipo, May 1, 1899.

I FORWARD herewith a translation of a statement* made by Chau Kwan Nam, a native of Un Long, and a teacher by profession there.

The statement was made voluntarily, and is valuable, as it corroborates the state- ments and other evidence already forwarded by me, which show that the plan for resisting the British was not devised by the people, but originated with the gentry in the various districts, whose object was to enrich themselves whilst posing as patriotic opponents of the British barbarians.

I have already informed Your Excellency that I am of opinion that it is necessary in the interests of peace and good order in the new territory that an example should be made of the ringleaders in the anti-British movement. If no steps are taken to punish them, the people will think that rebellion can be organised and carried into effect with impunity.

J. H. STEWART Lockhart,

Colonial Secretary.

HON. COLONIAL SECRETARY,

May 3, 1899.

I CAN see nothing but vague statements in the enclosed. The narrator does not give any particulars, either as to a given person or as to the means by which the gentry were to be enriched. For what offence do you propose that they shall be punished, in the event of any evidence being forthcoming.

You will remember that the tentative ordinance is framed from your own proposi- tion in your report. Assuming that you have evidence that the gentry and elders were actively participating in the opposition, how do you propose to deal with them? And if they are considered unfit to be entrusted with local power, how do you propose to con- stitute the district courts? The new area must be worked on the lines recommended by you, or it must be administered on identical lines with Hong Kong. Have you considered the additional cost of the latter plan?

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

H. A. BLAKE.

Taipo, May 5, 1899.

I AM not able to legally define the offence of which those who have been im- plicated in rebelling against British authority are guilty, but I do not anticipate any difficulty in finding further evidence against the ringleaders in addition to that already forwarded by me, if it is decided to proceed against them. They are not many in number, and I have already given new names in previous reports.

Comment is not infrequently made by the Chinese here regarding the lenient manner in which those who are really responsible for all the trouble are being treated.

• See pp. 261 and 262.

259

It appears to me that the simplest plan would be to banish them from our terri- tory, and to confiscate their property, devoting the proceeds to public purposes. These men did not wish to enjoy the benefits of British rule, so it will be no great hardship to them to transfer their energies to a soil more congenial to them.

The Local Communities Ordinance was drafted in accordance with the instruc- tions of the Secretary of State, who directed that the organisation at present in existence here should be utilised as far as possible. The ringleaders in the recent move- ment do not include all the gentry and elders. If the ringleaders are removed from British territory, the working of the Local Communities Ordinance, so far from being interfered with or rendered impossible, will be made more easy.

J. H. STEWArt Lockhart.

HON. COLONIAL SECRETARY,

May 8, 1899.

persons

BEFORE I decide upon what course I shall pursue with reference to the who incited the people to resist the occupation of the territory, I want to know exactly what statements have been made and what concrete facts asserted. Up to the present I have seen no statement referring to any individual, outside the murderers of Tang Cheung, that gives the particulars upon which a sound judgment can be formed.

When I have such particulars I shall be in a position to consider the possibility and expediency of carrying out your suggestion.

H. A. B.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

In reply to the above minute, which I received late last night on my return from Sham Chun, I beg to refer to the following documents, which I have already forwarded:

1st. Statement of Ng Ki Cheung. 2nd. Statement of Tang Kok Lam.

3rd. Translations of documents found in the meeting house at Un Long.

4th. Petition and statement of the Widow of Tang Cheung, who was murdered. 5th. Petitions from various districts, translations of which have been forwarded from time to time.

In addition to the above, I am submitting to-day under separate cover the fol- lowing further documents:-

6th. Another statement made by Tang Kok Lam on the 18th April.

7th. Translation of documents found at Sheung Shui and Shek U Hu, together with a.statement of Lui Wan Kuk.

8th. Extracts of statements made before me by Tang Chik Ting.

9th.

Translation of Petition from Man Cham Tsun.

For convenience of reference I have drawn up a tabular form, giving the names of the individuals who are mentioned in the above documents, and a reference to the documents in which their names appear.

I have underlined in red ink* the names of those who have been most prominent and who are mentioned most frequently in the documents.

I have not included in the tabular form the names of the Committee of the Tung Wo Kuk at Shataukok (see Confidential, Extension, CXX.), who, I recommended, should be banished, in view of Your Excellency's minute on that paper.

In addition to the documentary evidence procured since the flag was hoisted, I would remind Your Excellency that I had obtained the names of ringleaders before the territory was taken over, and at a meeting of Executive Council urged that steps should be taken to deal with them. The names then in my possession correspond generally with the names of those who figure most prominently in the documents detailed above. The information obtained from villages regarding the ringleaders during our tour also tallies with the information I had received whilst in Hong Kong, and with that which is contained in the documentary evidence.

J. H. STEWART Lockhart,

Colonial Secretary.

638

• Printed here in italic.

260

TABLE CONTAINING NAMES OF RINGLEADERS, &0.