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notice he might be deprived of four fifths of that value or even
more.
12.
That such a result not only was never contemplated at the time the Convention was signed, but is the very thing which was ex
pressly provided against by the Convention.
13.
That many persons whose lands have been resumed (including some of your Petitioners) have, as their only means of protest a-
gainst this treatment,refused to attend before the Boards of Arbi-
tration, and refused to accept the compensation awarded to them.
And a substantial sum of money representing these rejected awards
is at present in the hands of the Government.
14. That in a Proclamation issued by His Excellency Sir Henry Arthur Blake,G.C.M.G., then Governor of the Colony on the 9th day of
April 1899, the measures to be taken by the Government with regard
to the land were detailed for the information of the Public,and
this Proclamation contained the following promises :-
15.
"I would also impress upon you that these Territories
"having been leased by His Imperial Majesty the Emperor
"of China to Her Britannic Majesty the Queen of England,
*as subjects of Her Majesty's Empire,your commercial and
*landed interests will be safeguarded and that your us-
"ages and good customs will not in any way be interfered "with." And again "It will be necessary for you to regis-
"ter without delay your titles for the land occupied by
"you that the true owners may be known. Should any land
"be required for public purposes it will be paid for at
"its full value."
That in the Colonial Secretary's Report on the New Terri-
tories forwarded to Mr.Joseph Chamberlain, Secretary of State for
the Colonies in 1900, the Colonial Secretary made the following ob-
servation :-
"It may seem peculiar that suspicion should have arisen
8.
seeing
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