CO129-347 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [4-6] — Page 368

:

365

Governor's residence, and that in consequence the King's

representative would be subordinated in the eyes of the

ignorant Chinese, and that this objection was emphasized

by the fact that the proposed tenant was an illegitimate

half-caste whose wives and Concubines numbered four.

It was pointed out by others that

Mr. Ho Tung already possessed a house at the Peak, which

he was at liberty to occupy and that if he were allowed to

rent a house on the plea that he was already a Peak

resident in posse a precedent would be set by which the

Ordinance might be largely evaded.

The Council agreed that in these

circumstances an exemption should not be granted. No

application had at this time been made by Mr. Ho Tung

himself nor has any been made since. The matter had

originated with the Chief Justice who urged that he would

be at a monetary loss if an exemption were not made Sir

•

Paul Chater went so far as to say that he considered the

effect of granting the exemption would be so bad that he

would gladly pay the rent in question himself.

7.

I informed Sir F. Piggott that

the exemption would not be granted, and looking to his

position as Chief Justice, and to the somewhat personal

nature