CO129-313 - Governor Sir Blake - 1902 [10-12] — Page 578

Enclosure N° 7

573

KONG,

HONG

13th, December 1902.

Sir,

In continuation of my letter of the 8th instant and

availing myself of the opportunity so kindly afforded me by His Excellency the Governor of offering my remarks upon the statements as set forth in your letter of the 7th instant, I have the honour to make the following

observations:-

So far as I understand, your letter under reply raises three points to which it is intended that I should

in self-defence reply, namely: -

(1)

(2)

(3)

A suggestion of inconsistancy of conduct on my part (or what virtually amounts to such a

suggestion) in relation to the Ordinance which was passed for the regulation of the Water Supply of this Colony.

A suggestion of impropriety on my part in the acceptance of a fee in connection with the drafting of a Petition to the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies against

the said Ordinance and

A complaint of my action in connection with the drafting of a Petition on behalf of the Chinese against the Public Health and Buildings Bill now before the Council and of the accept- -ance of a fee by me in relation thereto. With His Excellency's kind permission and for the sake of convenience I will deal with Points (1) and (2)

together.

The statement that I, having in conjunction with the Colonial Secretary and the Director of Public Works- advised that the water service of Chinese houses in

(1)