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he would have enacted the wiser part. Relagating that to the limbo of irremediable blunders, we are pleased to observe that the Chinese land-holders are to be secured in their holdings. We hope this also implies that all the land and property already sold or contracted to be sold between the date of Mr Stewart Lockhart's visit to the Hinterland in August, 1898, and the present date will be subject to the most searching enquiry. Without doubt a good deal of land was sold under threats that if not handed over peaceably the British Government would take it forcibly without compensation. The name of one minor Government servant, which must be known to the Government, i.e. to Mr J. H. Stewart Lockhart, the Administrator of the New Territory, is being mentioned freely enough in Hongkong and in the Hinterland in conjunction with that of a Chinese gentleman, whose land speculations in the New Territory have evidently been carried on with a view to future purchaser by the Government for sites of public buildings. It is, of course, a mistake to assume that all dealings in land in the New Territory are unfair or unjust, or that the term "land jobber" is synonymous with "thief". Hongkong has suffered, and suffered pitifully, from the land jobber. He is chronic. But where land has been obtained under misrepresentation, the Government, we imagine, if British law upholds righteousness and fair dealing, will be justified, after enquiry, in annulling all sales, should the original holders desire it. In his speech at Taipohu, His Excellency the Governor, in his desire to convince the villagers and Committee-men of his good intentions, seems to have gone too far and mixed up Chinese custom with British law. That, however, will not matter much if the Government really stands by the people, and sees that crimes and offences are not punished both according to British law and Chinese custom. That mistake appears to have been made in respect of the Taipohu murder; but His Excellency will see that rectified, of course, and will also see to it that similar mistakes do not occur in the future administration of the New Territory.
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he would have enacted the wiser part. Relagating that to the limbo of irremediable blunders, we are pleased to observe that the Chinese land-holders are to be secured in their hold- ings. We hope this also implies that all the land and prop- erty already sold or contracted to be sold between the date of Mr Stewart Lockhart's visit to the Hinterland in August, 1898, and the present date will be subject to the most search ing enquiry. Without doubt a good deal of land was sold under threats that if not handed over peaceably the British Govern- ment would take it forcibly without compensation. The name of
one minor Government servant, which must be known to the Gov-
ernment, i.e. to Mr J. H. Stewart Lockhart, the Administrator
of the New Territory, is being mentioned freely enough in Hong
kong and in the Hinterland in conjunction with that of a Chi-
nese gentleman, whose land speculations in the New Territory
have evidently been carried on with a view to future purchaser
by the Government for sites of public buildings. It is, of
course, a mistake to assume that all dealings in land in the
New Territory are unfair or unjust, or that the term "land
jobber is synonymous with "thief". Hongkong has suffered,
and suffered pitifully, from the land jobber. He is chronic.
But where land has been obtained under misrepresentation, th
Government, we imagine, if British law upholds righteousness
and fair dealing, will be justified, after enquiry, in annul-
ling all sales, should the original holders desire it. In his
speech at Taipohu, His Excellency the Governor, in his desire
to convince the villagers and Committee-men of his good inten-
tions, seems to have gone too far and mixed up Chinese custom
with British law. That, however, will not matter much if the
Government really stands by the people, and sees that crimes
and offences are not punished both according to British law
and Chinese custom. That mistake appears to have been made ir
respect of the Taipohu murder; but His Excellency will see that rectified, of course, and will also see to it that sim-
ilar mistakes do not occur in the future administration of
the New Territory.
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