CO129-293 - Governor Sir Blake - 1899 [8-9] — Page 12

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His EXCELLENCY (the Hon. J. H. Stowart | Lookhart translating) then said Now that this territory has been divided into districts and the sub-district committeemen have boen selected from the elders and gentry I wish to meet you and to explain to you the principles upon which the government of this portion of the colony of Hongkong will be conducted. I desire that you who have been officially ap- pointed shall co-operate with the Government in regulating the local affairs of your villages so that the people shall enjoy security and that there shall be no disorder. The Government bas appointed officials who will advise you as to sanitary improvements in the villages so that the health of the people may be preserved, for the Queen of England wishes that all Her Majesty's subjects shall be healthy and pros- perous. In giving you the position of Committesmen I rely upon you to discharge your duties in a faithful and upright manner Bud would call your attention to the fact that one of our most stringent laws is that if as much as one cash is taken from the people except the rates and taxes levied under authority the person extorting it will be rigorously punished by flue and imprisonment and be dismissed in disgrace from his position. I wish to interfore as little as possible with your good customs, but there is one principle of Bri- tish law that must be observed. All punishment for injuries must be inflicted by the appointed au- thority under the law. Therefore in case of in- jury the proper anthority must be appealed to and the punishment must not be undertaken by private individuals. The time has now come when all occupiers of land must register their titles with the Land Officer. When application is made giving the exact area of land occupied, a notice will be posted in the village so that if unother claims the land he can apply to the Land Officer, when the claims will be considered by the Land Court. No certificate of registration will be issued until the Crown rest has been paid. There should be no delay in registering your titles. The occupier will, in the absence of another claimant, be accepted as owner but if the person in cccupation is decided not to be the propor owner the amount paid by him wil be returned, and the rent will be collected from the person decided to be the lawful owner. few days ago some ill advised people assembled near Un Long and behaved in a riotous manner, assaulting a party who were examining certain Jands. I warn you against such unlawful pro. ceedings, as this was taking the law into their own hands. They should, if they objected, have applied to the Land Officer, who would have examined into the matter and decided upon their objections. Under the powers given to me by thelaw I could have placed a station of Po- lice pou that land and compelled the villagers who created the disturbance to pay the entire cost of building the station and paying the Police. But I have determined not to do so on this first offence but to warn the people through you that such illegal rioting will be severaly punish- i od in future. The elders of a village can always prevent such disorder by giving timely information to the Police. If they do not prevent it, then they and the villagers will be held responsible. All persons of whatever nation must be free to move about without danger of molestation. You must understand from what I have said that clau fights canuot be allowed. The law is strong enough to pru- tect the rights of every man, and must be appealed to in cases of dispute that cannot

local be settled by the

committees. I am sorry to find that robberies by armed gauge have been frequent, and against sach violence you have hitherto not becu adequately protected. I have established Police Stations in different parts of the territory for the pur- pose of preventing such robberies and protect- ing your lives and property. Since the territory was taken over three months ago many of those robbers have been arrested, the stolen property has been restored to the owners, and a large

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Now gaol undergoing sentences of imprisonment "fer fre and seven years. I am determined that inch rubberies shall be put down and that abiding and peaceable people shall enjoy security that has hitherto been denied them. You have all heard of the cruel murders of innocent men that took place at Un Loong in April last. For the murder of one of those men two of the principals in that brutal crime after a fair and patient trial have paid the penally with their lives. I bope that if any bad characters remain in the territory they will take warning and tease from evil ways.

1 havo directed that the law against gambling shall be rigidly enforced. The Chinese law against gambling is very strong, but the officials have neglected it. In British territory all laws must be equally respected. You have seen by y proclamation the amount of crown rent that has been decided upon as the land rent for the present.

In considering what laxes are to be levied on you, you must remember that all the money paid by you to the Government is money that is paid for your protection and for the improvement and development of your pro- party. The money paid for public works is paid in your own labourers for their labour and comes to the traders in the ordinary course of business. Up to the present over ten thousand dollars have been paid in wages in the working people of this district and now that gambling Las been stopped this money will be spent .0 the purchase of land for farms or of food and clothing from the shops, while the į main road from Kowloon to Taipo will enable the people to send in their produce to market in any weather. There will be a licence tax on all business houses, but you have been relieved from the payment of all customs duties and monopolies that raised the price of everything that you consumed. Do not object to strangers coming to the district. They will all bring money and increase the wealth and conafort of the people. I know that many people from this district have travelled to other countries. They nust have seen there how capital employs labour and produces wealth. With the intro- duction of fresh capital into this district that I hope to see vue day some who are now driven to : evil courses for want of occupation will and within their reach employment that will enable them to live respectable fires. Thave appointed you to the responsible position of committee men because you have been recommended to me by your villagers. Do not forget that your responsibility is very real, as I look to you to preserve the peace and good order of your villages, and to report to the authorities all bad characters and persons who endeavour to stir up strife. With the support of the Sub-district Committees and the villagers I look for the firm establishment of internal peace and prosperity, and I undertake that you shall be fully protected by the Government from any interference from without. I wished to add a few more words on the subject of land. It has been reported to me that as soon as the Convention between the Emperor of China and the Queen of Great Britain was signed certain people were induced to sell their lauds at a low value by being told that the British Government would take possession of the land without payment when they came into the territory. I take this opportunity of telling yon, the olders and geutry of all the villages. that if any man has boon induced to sell his land by these false misrepresentations and he is not satisfied, be can give notice to the Land Officer, who will register the title until the real question at issue has been looked into and de- cided. I have mentioned all this before by pro- clamation, but I wish to emphasise it more strongly now that I soo the gentry and olders before me, as I am determined that if any man has been improperly induced to give his land away under its value I won't accept the sale as- valid.

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