CO129-213 - Governor Sir Bowen - 1883 [12] — Page 270

-Enclosure

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be nominated by the Bench of Justices of the Peace and by the ___ Chamber of Commerce), whom I shall also appoint to be Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council; subject, of course, to confirmation

by the Queen

I have the honour to be

My Lord, Your Lordship's Most Cadient

Humble Cervant,

5. Bowen

The Daily Press.

HONGKONG, DECEMBER 25Tя, 1883.

We have much pleasure in announcing that His Excellency the GOVERNOR has decided upon appointing Mr. Wone Surve to be the Chinese member of the Legislative Council. This decision has been arrived at after a care- ful inquiry, and is based, not only upon well ascertained facts, but upon the direct wishes of the vast majority of the leading Chinese residents. Sir GEORGE Bowas experienced soma little difficulty at first in finding the most suitable man for the honour, as the number of Chinese who are either British subjects or willing to become so in this Colony is very limited. After much consideration, however, it was decided that the Registrar-General should take the views of all the representative Chi- nese merchants and residents, and these gen- tlemen were sent for singly and at various times, and asked to name the man they thought best fitted to represent their com- munity on the Council from the number of those eligible for or willing to accept the seat, An overwhelming majority recorded their vote in favour of Mr. WONG SHING, who is uni- versally respected among his countrymen, and Sir GEORGE Bowen, who was deeply anxious to find a man who enjoyed the confidence and esteem of the Chinese, has decided to ap- point the man of their choice. A bill for the naturalization of the member-elect bas been read a first time by the Legislative Council, and when the reconstructed Council meets, Mr. WonG SHING will take his sent at the table.

It may perhaps be useful at this juncture to give a slight sketch of Mr. WoNG SHING'S career, for the benefit of those who have not the pleasure of his acquaintance. He was born in the vicinity of Macao, in the year 1825, and is therefore in his fifty-ninth year. He bears his years uncommonly well, however, boing a remarkably robust and vigorous man, in excellent health. He came to this colony when a youth and commenced his English education at the Morrison Institu- tion, Morrison Hill, after which he went to a College in Massachusetts, United States, for three years.

He then returned to Hongkong and shortly afterwards became head of the London Mission printing establishment, which heconducted with the greatest probity and suc- cess, to the entire satisfaction of Dr. Legaz,

M r

Mr. WONG SHING had meantime attracted the notice of the Chinose Government as a good English scholar, auch being rare among the Chinese at that time, and he was offered employment in North China under LI HUNG-ORANG. After some consideration be accepted the proposal, but it is significant of the cordial relations existing between him and Dr. Leoon, that he sent his first month's salary to that gentle. man as a donation towards the London Mis- ston. When the first Chinese Embassy to Washington was despatched, Mr. WONG SHING accompanied it as attaché, and twelve months later he was appointed Vice-Consul for China at San Francisco. His family ac companied him to America, and his three sons were partly educated in that country. When he resigned office he took his boys to Scotland and placed them in the Dollar In- #titution in Perthshire to complete their education. He then travelled through Eng- land and France, seeing a great deal and enlarging his views. Finally he returned to Hongkong, where he has taken up bis permanent residence, and spends his time in the management of bis property, the bulk of which is in this colony, the remainder being located in Macao. His interests, therefore, are in Hongkong, he has nothing

to hope or to fear from mandarin influence, is about to become a British subject, and bas bad his children thoroughly educated abroad. Mr. WoNG SHING has been an in- telligent observer, possesses strong common sense, and most fully understands his coup. trymen, their wishes, wants, customs, and prejudices. Moreover, he was one of the first directors of the Tung Wah Hospital, and, though he has not resided here con- tinuously all his life, has maintained his connection with the Colony for the past thirty-five years or so by residence, visite, and written communications. The Chinese community have shown excol. lent discrimination in their choice of a re- presentative, who is at once a man of educa Lion, intelligence, and position, to which he adds a ripe experience gained in various countries and situations. They may be. heartily congratulated upon securing so effi- cient an exponent of their views and ro- quirements, whilst His Excellency the Go- FERNOR bas the satisfaction of knowing that be will have a Chinese gentleman on the Council who will really represent the large Chinese population of this important Co-

lony.

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