TNAG-0802-FCO40-1006-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 198

2.

.(2)

On the morning of the 6th January 1977 at about 6 a.m. I was

awakened by a cry of help outside my residence. On investigation I

found that it was a young lad aged 16 or 17 years who appeared very

distraught. He was shivering. His face was purple. It was a cold

morning. He had only a thin shirt; his pants were torn and both his

shirt and pants were wet. He told me that he swam across the Shum Chun

River from the Mainland and that he was hungry and cold and begged me

to let him have some food. (My residence is not far from the Shum Chun

River boundary).

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(3)

As I did not know the lad I did not invite him into the house

but I went in and brought out some bread and a glass of hot water. I

also let him have a pair of old trousers. He asked me to phone his

brother and he gave me the telephone number. I did so and the person

answering the phone said that he was his old uncle who was unable to

leave the house and that the boy's brother was not in.

(4)

I told the boy the result of my phone call and informed him

that he should find his own way out.

(5)

As January is the fish harvest season I went to attend the

ponds to catch the fish and bring them to Yuen Long Market for sale.

For this purpose I used my vehicle to transport the fish. When I drove

away I saw the boy standing at the hill-side.

(6)

After disposing of my fish at the market I returned to my

residence at 2 p.m. Again I saw the boy at the foot of the hill and

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