CO129-572-6 Hong Kong Seamen's Union- proposed proscription 22-1-1938 - 30-8-1938 — Page 22

APPENDIX I.

LEI YEUK SHAN alias "Pak Lam" Shing. (The

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nickname "Pak Lam" "Free love" is one given to brothel

bullies and exploiters of prostitutes). Born in Sam

Shui, Canton province. Was brought to Hong Kong at the

age of 18 by his father, a herbal doctor. Three or four

years later he joined the Triad Society of which he became

a leading member. At the age of 26 he is alleged to have

committed a murder and fled to Canton to escape arrest.

Six years later he returned and opened a coolie lodging

house, and subsequently became in 1921 the first President

of the "Chap In" Stevedores' Union.

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About 1923 he was reported to have raised a force of about one thousand men under his own command to support Dr. Sun Yat Sen and was attempting to obtain money from the Head Labour Union in Hong Kong to meet the expenses of this force. At this time he still held an official position in the Chap In Union, but in June 1924 certain members of the Union complained that he had spent nearly $4,000 belonging to the Union on his private regiment and that

the Union had no funds left to pay the rent of its premises. Possibly for this reason, he did not seek re-election and his subsequent history is unknown.