CO129-501-3 Chinese situation- Protection of British subjects of Chinese race 23-10-1926 - 21-12-1927 — Page 62

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have the honour to furnish the following list of documents in

my possession:

(a) The Certificate of Naturalization, No. 39, of his

grandfather, Low Ah Iit, issued at Singapore on April 1,1857.

(b) The Certificate of British Nationality, No.1148, of

his father, Low Cheang Yee, issued at Singapore on November 7,1890. This endorsed that Low Cheang Yee was born at Singapore, his father being a naturalized British subject and his mother a British subject.

(c) Passport No. 1286, issued to Low Peng Kiah by the

Governor of the Straits Settlements on June 5, 1919, endorsed "Applicant's father was a British subject".

(d) A passport in Chinese for travelling in the provinces of Kuangtung and Fukien, issued to Low Cheang Yee by this Consulate on January 28, 1902, and counter- sealed by the Tastai.

(e) A passport in Chinese for travelling in the province

of Kuangtung, issued to Low Peng Kiah by this

Consulate on December 3, 1917, and countersealed by the Commissioner for Foreign Affairs.

(f) A passport in Chinese for travelling in the province

of Kuangtung, permitting him to carry two sporting guns, with cartridges, issued to Low Peng Kiah by this Consulate on April 25, 1923, and countersealed by the Commissioner for Foreign Affairs.

These documents, the existence of which is known to

the Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, prove that Low Peng

Kiah is a British subject and that he has repeatedly been

recognized as such by the Chinese authorities. The fact

that his title deeds are deeds of perpetual lease, and not of

sale, and that they describe him as "a foreigner" and "a

British merchant" is further evidence, as is the fact that

as foreigner" he was not required to comply with the regu-

lation regarding payment of the cost of constructing a road

through his property (see paragraph 4 above).

13.

I am privately informed that the Commissioner for

Foreign Affairs' report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at

Nanking on this case has been drafted in such a manner as to

prejudice the Ministry against Low Peng Kiah and to bring

forth a decision against his claim to British nationality.

If such a decision is once given, it is unlikely that the

subsequent