1
ཝ
>
383
"OH
12.
As reported in paragraph 8 of my
9982 Despatch of May, 1904, the large majority of property
omers gave their consent to the existing Ordinance, none opposing it; and I am confident that the large majority will accept the proposed amendment. Similarly, when the existing Ordinance was before the Legislative Council, the Chinese Members accepted the principle of exclusion of Chinese from the Peak, and I am advised by the Secretary for Chinese Affairs that in his opinion the Chinese Members of the present day will agree to my present proposals. I have every hope that this will prove to be the case,
13.
There is one further point to which I may refer. The Ordinance contains no definition of a Chinese, and there is in the Colony a not inconsiderable number of Eurasians who are to all intents and purposes Chinese in their habits and customs. Sir R. Ho Tung is a case in point, as is shown in Sir F. Lugard's Confidential Despatch of the 4th. June, 1908. I would ask your permission to define a Chinese as including a person of Chinese race on the side of one parent only; or, as an alternative, to refer in the Ordinance to "persons of Chinese extraction instead
of to Chinese, with power vested in the Governor-in-Council
to decide what constitutes Chinese extraction.
14.
There is a precedent for this proposal
in the Portuguese housing scheme, the principles of which
were approved by Viscount Harcourt in his Despatch No. 180
of the 19th. June, 1912. Under that scheme a Portuguese is
a person of "Portuguese extraction"; and it is doubtful
whether anyone of the class of persons referred to is of
pure Portuguese race.
15.
The Portuguese housing scheme forms at
the same time a precedent for the reservation of a
Gov
16260
Ji
i
particular
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.