CO885-11 — Page 219

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :--

LLC.O.882/11

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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HON, CAPTAIN SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE. Violation of British Territory by the Shutaukok.

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"Lung Man" at Chinese

I beg to submit statements regarding a serious case of violation of British territory committed by the "Lung Man" (Chinese characters) at Chinese Shataukok, concerning which I saw and spoke with you personally on the 31st ultimo.

Apart from this particular case the "Lung Man" have, ever since their formation, constantly shown disregard for our territorial rights, and, because they have been allowed to do so without any serious counter action on our part, our local prestige has suffered considerably. Many Chinese on both sides of the border marvel at our forbearance, asking how long this state of affairs is to continue.

As is well known much of this aggressiveness on the part of the "Lung Man" is due to their Head, one Wong Chun Wa (Chinese characters). Wong, and his assistant Ho Ping Shu (Chinese characters) are natives of Shan Tsui (Chinese characters), British Shataukok (Chinese characters), and both have shown themselves to be rabidly anti-British. Both have undisputed authority in Chinese Shataukok and are responsible for, in fact the instigators of, these constant acts of trespass on our territory by the

Lung Man."

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In these circumstances the one obvious remedy is for our Government to ask the Canton Authorities to remove these two men from their present office, and further to ask that neither be permitted to hold any local official appointment whatsoever. Unless this is done, or some other special measure taken, the present unsatisfactory situation will continue indefinitely.

5th September, 1927.

Submitted.

WV. G. GERRARD, Assistant Superintendent of Police (New Territories).

Sha Tau Kok Police Station, 2nd September, 1927.- Shooting at a Sampan in Starling Inlet by the "Lung Man"

on the 30th August, 1927, at about 14.00 hours. Cheung Kiu (Chinese characters), 52 years, states:-

I am a fisherman, and reside at Kat O. I am a native of Kať O. At about 14.00 hours on the 30th ultimo I, accompanied by my son aged six years, Wan Fong Po, Cheung Po and Cheung Yau, entered sampan on the foreshore behind the Ying Sang Tai shop, British Sha Tau Kok, for the purpose of returning to Kat O. We started off towards Ah Kung Tsui, but when opposite the Custom House, about 300 yards off the foreshore, we were compelled, owing to the strong wind, to make for Kuk Po so as to get under the lee of the land. I did not hear anyone shouting or any shots being fired. About one hour later when we were between Ah Kung Taui and Yeung Shu Au I heard someone shouting. On looking round I saw a sampan about

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30 yards behind us with several men on board. We asked what was the matter, but all they said: "turn back." We turned back, and I saw one man standing with a rifle which I am sure he fired in our direction as we were turning. There were five men in the sampan which stopped us. One of them, armed with a stick, jumped on board our sampan and ordered us to go back to Sha Tau Kok or else they would shoot us. We arrived at Sha Tau Kok at about 15.30 hours, and were taken to the Tung Wo School, which adjoins the Head- quarters of the "Lung Man," where I was questioned as to why we had not turned back when called to do so and when we had been fired at. I replied that we had not heard anyone shouting to us or any shots being fired, and that if we had done so we would have turned back. They then took our names and addresses, etc., and I was asked if I knew anyone in Sha Tau Kok who would guarantee us, and I gave the names of the masters of the Wing Wo Hop and Wo Tai shops. These masters were sent for, and after they had guaranteed us we were allowed to go at about 7.00 hours. I was not tied up as I was carry- ing my son. Cheung Po and Cheung Yau were tied up, but none of us were beaten. When we were called on to stop near Yeung Shu Au, Wan Fong Po, who was rowing the boat at the time, thinking that the people were robbers, jumped into the sea and swam ashore. We picked him up when we were returning to Kat O. We had only two rolls of cloth and some groceries in the sampan.

Wang Fong Po (Chinese characters), 27 years, states:—

I am a fisherman and reside at Kat O, where I was born. At about 14.00 hours on the 30th ultimo I, along with Cheung Kiu, Cheung Po, and Cheung Yau boarded a sampan at Sha Tau Kok to go to Kat O. The sampan was lying on the foreshore behind the Ying Sang Tai shop in British territory. We started off towards Ah Kung Tsui, but when opposite the Custom House (about 300 yards off) owing to the strong wind we had to make for Kuk Po. I did not hear anyone shout or fire at us. About one hour later, when we were between Ah Kung Tsui and Yeung Shu Au, I heard someone shouting to us to turn back. On look- ing round I saw a sampan with 4 or 5 men in it so we turned round. I then saw a man holding a rifle as if he was going to fire. I at once dropped my oar, jumped overboard and swam ashore near Yeung Shu Au Village. I do not know whether the man fired or not. I remained at Yeung Shu Au Village until the sampan came back, when I shouted to them and they came and took me off. I jumped into the sea because when I saw the man holding a rifle I thought they were robbers, and I had $60.00 on my person which I had received in Hong Kong for fish. I did not know that the men were "Lung Man." I have never had any trouble with any of the "Lung Man," and we had nothing on the sam- pan which we need be afraid of being searched.

Cheung Po (Chinese characters), 45 years, states :--

I am a fisherman and reside at Kat O, where I was born. On the 30th ultimo, at about 08.00 hours I and Cheung Yau left Kat O in a sampan for Sha Tau Kok to meet Cheung Kiu, his son and Wan Fong Po. We arrived at Sha Tau Kok at about 10.00 hours and tied the boat up on the foreshore behind the Ying Sang Tai shop, British territory, We met Cheung Kiu and Wan Fong Po at about 11.00 hours, but owing to

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