CO129-290 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [1-4] — Page 494

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All AI Reviewed

484

I pointed out to them that at first the inhabitants of Tai Po had not objected at all to the erection of the matshed, and that in deference to the wishes of the neighbouring village of Pan Chung, the nearest village to the hillock on which the matshed is built, the site of the shed had been changed from that originally selected by me to one which the elders of Pan Chung had themselves approved and marked out in my presence.

One of the elders then said that the hill was his private property - he being the third party that has now claimed the hill - and I told him, as I have told the other claimants, that if he could produce an official title deed of the hillock, the Hong-Kong Government would purchase the property from him. He remarked that as it had been handed down to him by his ancestors, he could not possibly consent to sell it.

After some further discussion, which was continually interrupted by the bystanders, some of whom became very offensive in their language and demeanour, the elders asked if I would remove the matshed to another site or not, to which I replied that the site it now stood on having been chosen by the representatives of the village nearest to it, and declared free from objection on the ground of interference with Fung Shui, it would not be reasonable to again change it. I added that Government would pay the rightful owner for the property.

Thereupon

Edit History

2026-05-30 14:57:36 · NVIDIA / meta/llama-4-maverick-17b-128e-instruct

Live

View comparison

AI Proofread

484 I pointed out to them that at first the inhabitants of Tai Po had not objected at all to the erection of the matshed, and that in deference to the wishes of the neighbouring village of Pan Chung, the nearest village to the hillock on which the matshed is built, the site of the shed had been changed from that originally selected by me to one which the elders of Pan Chung had themselves approved and marked out in my presence. One of the elders then said that the hill was his private property - he being the third party that has now claimed the hill - and I told him, as I have told the other claimants, that if he could produce an official title deed of the hillock, the Hong-Kong Government would purchase the property from him. He remarked that as it had been handed down to him by his ancestors, he could not possibly consent to sell it. After some further discussion, which was continually interrupted by the bystanders, some of whom became very offensive in their language and demeanour, the elders asked if I would remove the matshed to another site or not, to which I replied that the site it now stood on having been chosen by the representatives of the village nearest to it, and declared free from objection on the ground of interference with Fung Shui, it would not be reasonable to again change it. I added that Government would pay the rightful owner for the property. Thereupon

Baseline (Original)

484 I pointed out to them that at first the inha- bitants of Tai Po had not objected at all to the erection of the matshed, and that in deference to the wishes of the neigh- bouring village of Pan Chung the nearest village to the hillock on which the matshed is built - the site of the shed had been changed from that originally selected by me to one which the elders of Pan Chung had themselves approved and marked out in my presance. One of the elders then said that the hill was his private property - he being the third party that has now claimed the hill claimants - - and I told him, as I have told the other that if he could produce an official title deed of the hillock the Hong-Kong Government would purchase the property of him. He remarked that as it had been handed down to him by his ancestors he could not possibly consent to sell it. After some further discussion which was conti- nually interrupted by the bystanders some of whom became very offensive in their language and demeanour, the elders asked if I would remove the matshed to another site or not, to which I replied that the site it now stood on having been chosen by the representatives of the village nearest to it and declared free from objection on the ground of interference with Fung Shui it would not be reasonable to again change it. I added that Government would pay the rightful owner for the property. Thereupon

2026-05-30 14:57:36 · Baseline

View content

484

I pointed out to them that at first the inha-

bitants of Tai Po had not objected at all to the erection

of the matshed, and that in deference to the wishes of the neigh-

bouring village of Pan Chung the nearest village to the

hillock on which the matshed is built

the site of the shed

had been changed from that originally selected by me to one which the elders of Pan Chung had themselves approved and marked out in my presance.

One of the elders then said that the hill was

his private property - he being the third party that has now claimed the hill

claimants

and I told him, as I have told the other

that if he could produce an official title deed

of the hillock the Hong-Kong Government would purchase the property of him. He remarked that as it had been handed down to him by his ancestors he could not possibly consent to sell

it.

After some further discussion which was conti- nually interrupted by the bystanders some of whom became very offensive in their language and demeanour, the elders asked if I would remove the matshed to another site or not, to which I replied that the site it now stood on having been chosen by the representatives of the village nearest to it and declared free from objection on the ground of interference with Fung Shui it would not be reasonable to again change it. I added that Government would pay the rightful owner for the property.

CO129-290 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [1-4] — Page 494

Edit History

Comments

Private Research Note