1887-1903
23
281
:
four different families. Two of the titles to the same land are derived direct from the Viceroy and Governor of Canton under recited Imperial Orders. The two other titles, before the Convention, conclude by Vesting Orders made at trials before the San On Magistrates, one Magistrate deciding that the land belonged to the Tang Clan and another Magistrate deciding that the same land belonged to the Chiu Clan. Great value is placed upon this land, and the matter is now waiting the formation of the proposed Land Court for decision.
L
10. A typical case of another class is that of some farm lands adjoining Deep Bay. About ten acres (English) had in course of time been added to the farm by the silting process of the sea and the detritus brought down by the Canton River. This natural accretion was claimed by the owners of the farm, but was sold by the San On Magistrate as waste land belonging to the Government for Taels 600 ($833) to a friend, who, it is alleged, formed a syndicate consisting of himself, the Magistrate, the Major-General, and, under cover of the sale and by means of the soldiers at their command, took forcible possession of the whole farm, which was worth $60,000. This happened shortly before the Convention. The farm is now claimed by both parties, and the matter is waiting the constitution of the new Land Court for decision.
11. Other cases there are of confiscation by the Magistrates and sale and relief from the forfeiture, after sale to others, upon payment of a fine. In these cases the original owners claim to retain possession of the land, and the purchaser claims to be entitled to possession under the deed of sale from the Magistrate. Some land in the Kowloon district is held under a title by capture, where the clans fought, and the losing clan gave up a field as the price of the cessation of hostilities. Much time and trouble have been spent in the investigation of these claims, but without much result, as the parties prefer to wait for the formation of the new Land Court to bring in their claims for decision.
12. The most serious matter of all, however, has been the stand taken by the farmers against the clans, their former landlords. The clans and farmers agree that the farmers are absolute owners of the soil in perpetuity, but have been paying money or produce to the clans for generations, which the clans claim to be rent payable to them. The case for the farmers is that the land is and always has been theirs absolutely free from rent, and that the amount paid by them to the clans was the Government land tax, which they claim to pay direct to the Hongkong Government without the intervention of the clans. I have had several interviews with the representatives of some of the clans and with several of the head farmers, and I have also visited the farms at Mui Wo. The farmers there now state that they will act under my advice and will cause no trouble to the Government, but they wish me to suspend any recommendation until I have visited the farms at Tung Ch'ung and Tái Ó, and they wish, if it be possible, that they should all be placed on the same equal footing. The system of payment in produce is one of the farmers' troubles, because the measures used by the clans are larger than those intended by the deeds, and are not the measures in general use in the district.
13. The consideration of these questions with others, less important ones, has shown the importance, in the interests of the Government and of the owners of the soil (the farmers), of providing for the redemption of the so-called rent of land tax payable by the owners to the clans, and also, in the meantime, of fixing the average price of produce by law, so that payment may be made in money, as the farmers desire, instead of in produce. Provisions for these objects have already been framed for legislative enactment.
14. Full particulars have been obtained from the islands of Ch'eung Chau (which includes an important market town of 5,000 inhabitants), A Chau, a fishing station, and Po Tow Wan, and are now under examination. Owing to the value of the police protection now afforded by their incorporation into the Colony, the owners have voluntarily offered to pay increased Crown Rent, or such increased land tax as I may recommend to be fair.
15. Partial particulars have been obtained from the island of Ping Chau, as well as from the islands of Lantao and Lamma, and the remaining information required is promised as soon as possible.
16. The bed of the sea surrounding Ping Chau, from which coral and shells can be dredged for the lime-kilns, has been granted on lease for five years to the different owners
1887-1903
23
281
:
four different families. Two of the titles to the same land are derived direct from the Viceroy and Governor of Canton under recited Imperial Orders. The two other titles, before the Convention, conclude by Vesting Orders made at trials before the San On Magistrates, one Magistrate deciding that the land belonged to the Tang Clan and another Magistrate deciding that the same land belonged to the Chiu Clan. Great value is placed upon this land, and the matter is now waiting the formation of the proposed Land Court for decision.
L
10. A typical case of another class is that of some farm lands adjoining Deep Bay. About ten acres (English) had in course of time been added to the farm by the silting process of the sea and the detritus brought down by the Canton River. This natural accretion was claimed by the owners of the farm, but was sold by the San On Magistrate as waste land belonging to the Government for Taels 600 ($833) to a friend, who, it is alleged, formed a syndicate consisting of himself, the Magistrate, the Major-General, and, under cover of the sale and by means of the soldiers at their command, took forcible possession of the whole farm, which was worth $60,000. This happened shortly before the Convention. The farm is now claimed by both parties, and the matter is waiting the constitution of the new Land Court for decision.
11. Other cases there are of confiscation by the Magistrates and sale and ralief from the forfeiture, after sale to others, upon payment of a fine. In these cases the original owners claim to retain possession of the land, and the purchaser claims to be entitled to possession under the deed of sale from the Magistrate. Some land in the Kowloon district is held under a title by capture, where the clans fought, and the losing clan gave up a field as the price of the cessation of hostilities. Much time and trouble have been spent in the investigation of these claims, but without much result, as the parties prefer to wait for the formation of the new Land Court to bring in their claims for decision.
12. The most serious matter of all, however, has been the stand taken by the farmers against the clans, their former landlords. The clans and farmers agree that the farmers are absolute owners of the soil in perpetuity, but have been paying money or produce to the clans for generations, which the clans claim to be rent payable to them. The case for the farmers is that the land is and always has been theirs absolutely free from rent, and that the amount paid by them to the claus was the Government land tax, which they claim to pay direct to the Hongkong Government without the intervention of the clans. I have had several interviews with the representatives of some of the clans and with several of the head farmers, and I have also visited the farms at Mui Wo. The farmers there now state that they will act under my advice and will cause no trouble to the Government, but they wish me to suspend any recommendation until I have visited the farms at Tung Ch'ung and Tái Ó, and they wish, if it be possible, that they should all be placed on the same equal footing. The system of payment in produce is one of the farmers' troubles, because the measures used by the clans are larger than those intended by the deeds, and are not the measures in general use in the district.
13. The consideration of these questions with others, less important ones, has shown the importance, in the interests of the Government and of the owners of the soil (the farmers), of providing for the redemption of the so-called rent of land tax payable by the owners to the clans, and also, in the meantime, of fixing the average price of produce by law, so that payment may be made in money, as the farmers desire, instead of in produce. Provisions for these objects have already been framed for legis- lative enactment.
14. Full particulars have been obtained from the islands of Ch'eung Chau (which includes an important market town of 5,000 inhabitants), A Chau, a fishing station, and Po Tow Wan, and are now under examination. Owing to the value of the police protection now afforded by their incorporation into the Colony, the owners have voluntarily offered to pay increased Crown Rent, or such increased land tax as I may recommend to be fair.
15. Partial particulars have been obtained from the island of Ping Chau, as well as from the islands of Lantao and Lamma, and the remaining information required is promised as soon as possible.
16. The bed of the sea surrounding Ping Chau, from which coral and shells can be dredged for the lime-kilns, has been granted on lease for five years to the different owners
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