CO129-328 - Governor Nathan - 1905 [1-6] — Page 11

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working and not because of any icss they made. In this case there is no

cials to compensation, but Onea Yen would like to get something because

he owes money owing to the loss of his junk. I do not recommend say com-

pensation to be paid in this case.

18. The case of Lan Tung the rd, witness, and master of the junk

Las Tung Soun, is exactly similar to the case of the first nitness Lam

Sang. He does not mind what compensation be gets, and bes not suffered

Loss by reason of the grant of the Leases, but only through putting his

junk eshore, which he did on his one account. I do not recommend any

compensation to be paid in this case.

14.

The case of the 4th. witness Yau Kow the master of the juna Pew

Ki is some what similar to the last, except that his junk is not rot-

ten but leans through being put on shore at Sai Kok. I do not recommend

.sny corpensation to be paid in this case.

15. In the cases of all the other witnesses no compensation was

esked for. All they want is to stop the levying of cherges by the Crona

Lessees for dredging within their areas, barleving that if this were

done the line burnera who now pay these charges ould, if they could be

remitted, pay higher orices to the shell gauberers to the extent of the,

charge.

18. i will now refer to the statements of Wan Tim, the seventh wit-

ness, who is the prane mover in the matter. He was formerly a shell

gatherer and is now & line burner and is scquainted with the question

from both points of view. His allegation is that the licence fee charges

by the Crown Lessees is cquivalent to customs' duty. The line burners

in the New Territories formerly cald Custors duty to the Chiosse dubio-

rivies on fine actually burned and exported, and this freed the shell

gatherers from any duty . they caying a junk licence only to the

Chinese Government which included the right to dredge for shelle. As

there are no Cu.tors' duties levied in Hongkong he claims that the

licence fee now oberged is not lezel, inesavol es having crøding

licences for their junas they bave a right to dredge anywhere without

further fee.