CO882-(4-5) — Page 626

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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,

272

[22.]

Tai Po, May 5, 1899.

I SUBMIT herewith a translation of a Chinese petition presented to the San On Magistrate on the 12th April last by the literati of the Starling Inlet Division. I had heard that such a petition was on record in the Yamen of the San On Magistrate, and took steps to obtain a copy, which reached me to-day. I have lost no time in translating it, and the answer given to the petitioners by the magistrate:

The petition is of importance, as it shows how the people were misled and incited to resist by imaginary evils manufactured by the literati. It is interesting to note that there is no reference of any kind to the doings of the Land Company, and that the petitioners all belong to the literati class.

You will observe that the petition accuses the British Government in Hong Kong of oppressive government, and of having poisoned Chinese without number during the plague epidemic some years ago.

The petition was presented on the 12th April last to the San On Magistrate, who, instead of at once taking steps to deny the atrocious libels of the petitioners, which he well knew to be absolutely devoid of truth, practically acquiesced in them by saying he would enquire into them and act accordingly.

The persons who presented the petition do not desire to be governed by the British. It will therefore be no hardship to them to turn them out of our territory, and I recommend that they be sent away, as being dangerous to the peace and good order of the territory, and their property confiscated and devoted to public purposes.

There can be no doubt that by disseminating such libels as are contained in the petition, the petitioners have helped to incite people and to work up resistance to British Authority.

As regards the action of the San On Magistrate, he should certainly be punished, for had he acted as he ought to have done he could have at once issued a notice denying the libels, and have dealt with those guilty of having given currency to them. Instead of so acting he receives the petition, and says he will enquire into the truth of the state- ments, thus encouraging the petitioners to create trouble.

In the petition it is stated that the petitioners intend to present a petition to the authorities at Canton.

Our Consul there ought to be able to ascertain what petitions have been presented from the new territory or its neighbourhood, and to obtain copies of them. I have reason to believe that at least two petitions have been presented. They may show that the Viceroy knew more than he pretends to have known, and that he took no steps to prevent trouble arising.

J. H. STEWART LOCKHART,

Colonial Secretary.

Translation of Petition to the San On Magistrate.

The humble petition of the following committee of the Tung Wo Kuk (ie., the Committee appointed to deal with the affairs of the Sha Tau Kok Division), Ip Iu Kai, one of the gentry, Ho Shui Chun, senior graduate of the third degree, Li Cheung Chun, Li Hing Tsai, Li Tsz Tsing, Chan Sheu, Sheung Yan, Li Tsung Shin, Wong Tsung Hin, Li Tsai Chun, graduates, showeth :-That the people are dissatisfied, and that your petitioners beg to present this petition, stating facts of the case, and praying that they may be submitted to the higher authorities, so that the covetousness (of the British) may be restrained, and the wishes of the people complied with, and so that the interest of those who constitute the strength of the nation may receive due con- sideration.

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On the morning of the 6th of the 2nd Moon (16th March) Your Honour came to Sha Tau Kok to delimit the frontier. Your petitioners, not being then acquainted with the feeling of the people, did not presume to rashly lay the before you. But before you had proceeded far several hundreds of the gentry of over eighty villages from the neighbourhood assembled in the meeting house, and complained that the territory had been leased with the object of improving the defences of Hong Kong, that the Imperial Govern- ment of China had condescended to lease to the British the territory of Kau Lung as sufficient for purposes of defence, that the territory nominally leased is in reality an- nexed, and that the annexation has extended to lands and houses for several hundred

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li (3 li-1 mile) beyond the Kau Lung district, that the annexation outside the district of Kau Lung extends from Lik Un (Sha Tin) to Tai Po, from Tai Po to Loi Tung (Nai Tung) and Lai Chi Wo, and includes Wong Ling Tau, Wo Hang Kat O, San Tsun, Pun Shui Hang, Shau Tsui Kong, Ha Tsun, Kang Hau, Kang To and Lin Ma Hang; that these places are separated from the Kau Lung district by two arms of the sea and many ranges of hills; that the annexation also includes the waters of Deep Bay and Mirs Bay and the territory between them, covering an area of several hundred li; that the dimen-. sions of this annexation differ widely from those of the Kau Lung district; that the leaving of the Kau Lung district might be allowed as an exceptional case, but that the occupation of the territory outside the Kau Lung district, with its large population and numerous villages, cannot be quietly accepted; that if the foreigners are allowed to do just as they like, not only will we all become foreigners, which will be a great disgrace to us all, but it is to be feared that excessive taxation and an oppressive government will bring on us evils without end; that proof of such excessive taxation and oppression is easily obtainable from Hong Kong; that there we have ascertained that on each house is levied every quarter a tax of $1.20; that there it is the custom to make vessels clear- ing pay dues according to their size; that if a vessel anchors temporarily it has to obtain papers, for which a tax has to be paid; that fines are inflicted for the breach of any law or regulations; that some years ago a poll tax was levied on the Chinese repeatedly, and that it was only temporarily stopped because the poor combined and refused to make payment; that, worst of all, when the plague epidemic broke out some years ago the Sanitary Board made strict search for sick people, and that when they found any Chinaman who was thin, delicate, they falsely declared that he was sick, and forcibly removed him to the Board, when they cruelly dosed him with arsenic, until be died of its poisonous effects; that those who suffered in this way at that time were in- numerable; that if a sick man was found in a house, no matter how much the house was worth, it was destroyed by fire, and the houses adjacent to it closed; that the crueltien experienced were truly great, and that if such proceedings are introduced into the ares the people will not be able to survive them, that our Government is so benevolent and humane that every subject is provided for, that it will not endure the handing over to foreigners of hundreds of lis of territory and thousands of its subjects to be cruelly treated.

Your petitioners having been made acquainted with these circumstances, found them on enquiry to be true, and can state that Chinese and British rule in their good and evil effects are as far removed from each other as heaven is from earth.

Your petitioners therefore consider it their duty to represent the case in detail to Your Honour, in addition to petitioning the higher authorities (at Canton), and present this joint petition through (Wong Kat) their proxy, praying that Your Honour will condescend to your sympathy by submitting it to your superiors, so that they may memorialise the Throne, with a view to preventing this irregular extension of the boundary, and meeting the wishes of the people.

And your petitioners will ever pray.

Dated Kwong Shu, 25th year, 3rd moon, 3rd day (12th April, 1899).

Reply of the San On Magistrate to the above Petition.

The lease of the Kau Lung area has been sanctioned by Imperial authority, and the boundary has been delimited according to the Tsung Li Yamen's original map. It has been agreed with the foreign officials that the people will be exceptionally well treated, that house and land will not be forcibly purchased, that graves will not be removed, that the manners and customs of the people will remain undisturbed. The Viceroy and Governor of Canton have already issued a proclamation informing you, as is on record. As to the truth or otherwise, of the statements in the petition, petitioners must wait until a thorough enquiry has been made, and steps taken accordingly. (Translated by J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Colonial Secretary, May 5, 1809.)

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

[23.]

Taipo, May 3, 1899.

SINCE writing my minute to-day regarding the erection of police stations at Taipo, Un Long, and Ping Shan, it has occurred to me that it would be better to build stations at Taipo, Un Long, or Ping Shan and Fati Au in the first instance. The sites

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