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the official governing Hongkong, a matter of extreme difficulty."
Ho A-mei regarded Sir Richard Macdonnell (1865-1872) as the first Governor to make any attempt to ascertain the views of the Chinese and give them some measure of impartial consideration. Though perhaps the attitudes and policies of the Governors had changed over the years, according to a letter which appeared in 1878 over the name "Chinese,” there were still giant steps to be taken if any kind of mutual acceptance was to be established.
"Chinese" stated bluntly: "That we Chinese in this Colony are despised individually, collectively, and socially, and that we are ignored as a community (except in a few instances) there cannot be the least doubt. Individually we have imposed on us certain burdens peculiar to our nationality and we receive uncivility and indignity even at the hands of the police, to whom we contribute to pay largely for our protection. In European society we particularly have no status. To correspond socially with Europeans with whom we are daily brought into contact, to be admitted as favoured guests at their dinner table, to have the privilege of counting them as personal friends, are things which no Chinese, however ambitious he may be in other respects, would ever aspire to obtain. As a political body we are unknown. We are unrepresented, and it would be easier to find a fish climbing up a tree, as our adage says, than to see a Chinese Justice of the Peace, or a Chinese member of the Legislative or Executive Council in Hongkong.”
Happily this situation, after exactly 100 years, is greatly altered. Though today things are different in Hongkong, a completely mutual relationship is yet to be achieved between all sections of the community. The colonial status of Hongkong mitigates against equal treatment in all areas.
With the arrival of John Pope Hennessy as Governor in 1877, the Chinese had an advocate in high places. His so-called "pro-Chinese policy," however, exacerbated the tensions between the foreign and Chinese population of Hongkong.
The longer he governed, the more he tried to advance the Chinese, the greater became the bitterness and hostility of the European population towards him.
235
the official governing Hongkong, a matter of extreme difficulty."
Ho A-mei regarded Sir Richard Macdonnell (1865-1872) as the first Governor to make any attempt to ascertain the views of the Chinese and give them some measure of impartial consideration. Though perhaps the attitudes and policies of the Governors had changed over the years, according to a letter which appeared in 1878 over the name "Chinese,” there were still giant steps to be taken if any kind of mutual acceptance was to be established.
"Chinese" stated bluntly: "That we Chinese in this Colony are despised individually, collectively, and socially, and that we are ignored as a community (except in a few instances) there cannot be the least doubt. Individually we have imposed on us certain burdens peculiar to our nationality and we receive uncivility and indignity even at the hands of the police, to whom we contribute to pay largely for our protection. In European society we particu- larly have no status. To correspond socially with Europeans with whom we are daily brought into contact, to be admitted as fa- voured guests at their dinner table, to have the privilege of count- ing them as personal friends, are things which no Chinese, howev- er ambitious he may be in other respects, would ever aspire to obtain. As a political body we are unknown. We are unrepresent- ed, and it would be easier to find a fish climbing up a tree, as our adage says, than to see a Chinese Justice of the Peace, or a Chinese member of the Legislative or Executive Council in Hongkong.”
Happily this situation, after exactly 100 years, is greatly altered. Though today things are different in Hongkong, a completely mu- tual relationship is yet to be achieved between all sections of the community. The colonial status of Hongkong mitigates against equal treatment in all areas.
With the arrival of John Pope Hennessy as Governor in 1877, the Chinese had an advocate in high places. His so-called "pro- Chinese policy," however, exacerbated the tensions between the foreign and Chinese population of Hongkong.
The longer he governed, the more he tried to advance the Chi- nese, the greater became the bitterness and hostility of the Europe-
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