XCR(85)72
At Ha Tsun, we were met in the ancestral temple there by the elders of the district and also by an elder named Ng Ki Cheung of the Un Long district where the murder was committed. All the elders corroborated the statements contained in the Petition, but said that Tang Chik Ting and Tang Chu Shan, named in the petition as having been implicated in the murder, had nothing to do with it. It was therefore determined to make further enquiries regarding these two men, but to burn forthwith the houses of Tang Tsing Sz, Tang I Shek, and Tang A Mei, and to close four other houses belonging to Tang I Shek.
The elders pointed out the houses and helped to collect material with which to burn them, and the villagers declared that the men whose houses were to be burnt richly deserved whatever punishment might be meted out to them, and that two of them, Tang Tsung Sz and Tang I Shek, had been the cause of all the trouble that had occurred.
The three houses were burnt, due precautions being taken to prevent the spread of fire to neighbouring village houses, and the four other houses belonging to Tang I Shek will be closed pending further instructions from Your Excellency.
I informed the elders that the widow of the murdered man would have to be supported by the villages in their district. The widow was present at the burning of the houses.
I have ascertained that two of the men whose houses were burned own some land in the Ha Tsun district, which, I submit, should be confiscated, as well as the houses referred to above belonging to Tang I Shek. If no legal power at present exists for dealing with property in this manner, I am of opinion that it should be obtained at once, as I strongly recommend...
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at Ha Tsun we were met in the ancestral temple there by the
elders of the district and also by an elder named Ng Ki Cheung
of the Un Long district where the murder was committed. All
the elders corroborated the statements contained in the Peti-
tion, but said that Tang Chik Ting and Tang Chu Shan, named in
the petition as having been implicated in the murder, had
nothing to do with it. It was therefore determined to make
further enquiries regarding these two men, but to burn forth-
with the houses of Tang Tsing Sz, Tang I Shek and Tang A Mei
and to close four other houses belonging to Tang I Shek. The
elders pointed out the houses and helped to collect material
with which to burn them, and the villagers declared that the
men whose houses were to be burnt richly deserved whatever
punishment might be meted out to them and that two of them,
Tang Tsung Sz and Tang I Shek had been the cause of all the
trouble that had occurred. The three houses were burnt, due pre
cautions being taken to prevent the spread of fire to neigh-
bouring villages houses, and the four other houses belonging
to Tang I Shek will be closed pending further instructions
from Your Excellency. I informed the elders that the widow of
the murdered man would have to be supported by the villages
in their district. The widow was present at the burning of the
houses. I have ascertained that two of the men whose houses
were burned, own some land in the Ha Tsun district, which should
I submit be confiscated as well as the houses referred to
above belonging to Tang I Shek. If no legal power at present exists for dealing with property in this manner, I am of opi-
nion that it should he obtained at once, as I strongly recom-
mend
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