CO129-477 - Public Offices - 1922 — Page 511

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panorod middle-class Chinose of the old type, wnble to read, write or avo speak a word of the Bugglish language. He told me that some four years ago lin came from the Straits

Sattlemonto to his ancestral homa, situated on land opposite the far side of the Island of Kulagsu (i.a. thin sido away

from the main Jeland of Amoy, and therefore questionably within Tranty Port limits), and that he owed landed property

there, though he had not, of course, registered his titla-

doods in the British Consulate. Some two years or more ago, during the trouble here between North and South, the local

villagers, not a few of whom have, I understand, like Him- solf, resided for my years in the Straits Settlements or alsewhere out of China, elected him to the position of village Hondman. In dun courge la racnived from the then local District Magistrate a letter of appointment, with the approval of the Amoy Taoyin and of the Military and Civil Govoriors of tho Province of Fukien, as a 'Train-Band Captain'. Choah alleges that he was a personal friend of, and that his British status was known to, the Magistrate,

an official of the Southern Govorimont, from whom he received

his appointment.

Questioned as to the composition of the 'Train-Band' of which he is Captain, he stated that it is a uniformed force, armed with modern rifles provided with amuition

therefor

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by the then Magistrato.

M

I directed Cheah to draw up, in Chinaso, the only language with which he is acquainted, a brief statement of the facts of his appointment, supported by his original

'Commission'. Copies and translations of those two documento form Eclosures 2 and 3 herein. I have formrded exact copios

of the Chinese texts of these two documents to the Comic- sioner for Foreign Affairs, together with a brief reply stating that Cheah Ngoh Oh is a British Subject in virtue of the fact that he was born at Pornng on October 29th, 1862.

The