1841-1886
HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
261
occurred some years before at Macao when Governor Amaral did something of a similar kind, and that there would be no necessity for appealing to force as they would simply go away. Amongst other objectional rules he pointed to Rule 3.
"Single graves shall not be more than 6 feet long, by 2 feet wide, or less than 5 feet deep.”
122. That a grave should be at least 5 feet deep, Mr. Chun-A Yin and the other Chinese thought a very good provision, and one of them pointed out that it was already the law of the Colony, but that a special rule should be made to compel the Chinese inhabitants only to have graves not more than 6 feet long and 2 feet wide they said would render it impossible to bury Chinese in single graves in the Colony, as those graves are, according to Chinese custom, much larger and broader than such a rule would allow. They said there were Chinamen in Hong Kong more than 6 feet high; and that Chinese coffins, which are constructed according to certain prescribed regulations, for which the people have great veneration, are much longer and broader than the coffins in use in western nations, and that their coffins could not fit into a grave only 6 feet long and 2 feet wide.
123. An ordinary Chinese coffin measures 6 feet 6 inches in length, and, at the head it is 2 feet 7 inches wide. The coffin of a Chinese gentleman who has received a button or decoration (such as some of the Chinese merchants in this Colony have) is enclosed in a case measuring 7 feet 9 inches in length, and at the head 3 feet 3 inches in width. Even the coffin of a pauper measures over 6 feet in length. The difference in the size of Chinese and foreign coffins arises from the fact that the Chinese religion demands that a coffin be scooped out of the solid trunk of a tree. To bury a Chinaman in a coffin made of boards nailed together would be considered irreligious.
124. In further conferences with these native gentlemen they clearly explained how all the sanitary arrangements the Government might require could be secured without offending their religious customs or turning them out of the Colony.
125. In putting my veto upon the proposed rules, I requested that no Government regulations for dealing with the Chinese should be framed in future without giving the leading Chinese residents an opportunity of knowing what was proposed to be done.
Tree Planting.
126. Sir Michael Hicks Beach pressed upon my consideration the subject of the preservation and re-establishment of forests as one of great and increasing importance, in which the health and prosperity of the Colony were deeply concerned.
127. Small as my experience of Her Majesty's Colonies had been I had long felt that there was a general tendency to under estimate the necessity of tree planting, and that even in Colonies with apparently the most limited scope in this respect something ought to be done.
637
1841-1886
HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
261
occurred some years before at Macao when Governor Amaral did something of a similar kind, and that there would be no necessity for appealing to force as they would simply go away. Amongst other objectional rules he pointed to Rule 3.
"Single graves shall not be more than 6 feet long, by 2 feet wide, or less than 5 feet deep.”
122. That a grave should be at least 5 feet deep, Mr. Chun- A Yin and the other Chinese thought a very good provision, and one of them pointed out that it was already the law of the Colony, but that a special rule should be made to compel the Chinese inhabitants only to have graves not more than 6 feet long and 2 feet wide they said would render it impossible to bury Chinese in single graves in the Colony, as those graves are, according to Chinese custom, much larger and broader than such a rule would allow. They said there were Chinamen in Hong Kong more than 6 feet high; and that Chinese coffins, which are constructed according to certain prescribed regulations, for which the people have great veneration, are much longer and broader than the coffins in use in western nations, and that their coffins could not fit into a grave only 6 feet long and 2 feet wide.
123, An ordinary Chinese coffin measures 6 feet 6 inches in length, and, at the head it is 2 feet 7 inches wide. The coffin of a Chinese gentleman who has received a button or decoration (such as some of the Chinese merchants in this Colony have) is enclosed in a case measuring 7 feet 9 inches in length, and at the head 3 feet 3 inches in width. Even the coffin of a pauper measures over 6 feet in length. The difference in the size of Chinese and foreign coffins arises from the fact that the Chinese religion demands that a coffin be scooped out of the solid trunk of a tree. To bury & Chinaman in a coffin made of boards nailed together would be considered irreligious.
124. In further conferences with these native gentlemen they clearly explained how all the sanitary arrangements the Govern- ment might require could be secured without offending their religious customs or turning them out of the Colony.
125. In putting my veto upon the proposed rules, I requested that no Government regulations for dealing with the Chinese should be framed in future without giving the leading Chinese residents an opportunity of knowing what was proposed to be done.
Tree Planting.
126. Sir Michael Hicks Bench pressed upon my consideration the subject of the preservation and re-establishment of forests as one of great and increasing importance, in which the health and prosperity of the Colony were deeply concerned.
127. Small as my experience of Her Majesty's Colonies had been I had long felt that there was a general tendency to under esti- mate the necessity of tree planting, and that even in Colonies with apparently the most limited scope in this respect something ought to be done.
637
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