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wife. He began his career as a teacher of English in Government Chinese schools. After two years, he was appointed an interpreter in the Police Magistrate's office. His brother-in-law, Ng Mun-sow, was already in the office and when he was dismissed, A-lloy stepped up into his position.
He left Hongkong Government service in 1867 and accepted a position under the Viceroy of Kwangtung.
He was to be in charge of an opium tax collecting office in Hongkong for the Chinese Government. Much opposition to this was voiced in the English language press, and A-lloy was attacked as a tool used to subvert British authority in Hongkong.
He then left Hongkong to become legal adviser on foreign affairs to the Governor of Fukien. He had received no formal legal training, but his years as interpreter in the courts of Hongkong gave him, as a newspaper account mentioned, “a surprisingly intimate knowledge of the forms and routines of our country.”
His activities in Fukien roused the indignation of the Hongkong papers. One of them characterised him as "this peripatetic conglomeration of legal imposture and contemptible impudence."
**
Whatever his reputation in Hongkong, in China it had been enhanced by his acquiring, either by purchase or conferment, the degree entitling him to wear a white button on his hat.
In 1879 a change of policy in the Fukien provincial government resulted in the dismissal of most of their English-speaking Chinese employees, Ho Shun-chee, as A-lloy was then calling himself, left and joined the Chinese diplomatic mission to the United States. The Ambassador, Chen Lan-pin, was a Canton man and had recruited most of his staff from the Canton-Hongkong area. Ho Shun-chee served as interpreter.
In 1880 he passed through London. He took the opportunity to send a note to Dr. Legge, saying: "Shortly before leaving Hongkong for America to join the Chinese Embassy under His Excellency...
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wife. He began his career as a teacher of English in Government Chinese schools. After two years, he was appointed an interpreter in the Police Magistrate's office. His brother-in-law, Ng Mun-sow, was already in the office and when he was dismissed, A-lloy stepped up into his position.
He left Hongkong Government service in 1867 and accepted a position under the Viceroy of Kwangtung.
He was to be in charge of an opium tax collecting office in Hongkong for the Chinese Government. Much opposition to this was voiced in the English language press, and A-lloy was attacked as a tool used to subvert British authority in Hongkong.
He then left Hongkong to become legal adviser on foreign af- fairs to the Governor of Fukien. He had received no formal legal training, but his years as interpreter in the courts of Hongkong gave him, as a newspaper account mentioned, “a surprisingly inti- mate knowledge of the forms and routines of our country."
His activities in Fukien roused the indignation of the Hong- kong papers. One of them characterised him as "this peripetetic conglomeration of legal imposture and contemptible impud-
ence.
**
Whatever his reputation in Hongkong, in China it had been enhanced by his acquiring, either by purchase or conferment, the degree entitling him to wear a white button on his hat.
In 1879 a change of policy in the Fukien provincial government resulted in the dismissal of most of their English-speaking Chinese employees, Ho Shun-chee, as A-lloy was then calling himself, left and joined the Chinese diplomatic mission to the United States. The Ambassador, Chen Lan-pin, was a Canton man and had re- cruited most of his staff from the Canton-Hongkong area. Ho Shun-chee served as intrepreter.
In 1880 he passed through London. He took the opportunity to send a note to Dr. Legge, saying: "Shortly before leaving Hong- kong for America to join the Chinese Embassy under His Excel-
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