Content Focus 1: from British Administration to HKSAR – Main Features of British Administration in the First Half of the 20 Ce

History (S4-5) Theme A: Modernization and Transformation of Twentieth-Century Asia Sub-theme a: Growth and Development of Hong Kong

Content Focus 1: From British administration to HKSAR – main features of British administration in the first half of the 20th century

To understand the topic, teachers are recommended to read the following sources:

z Cheng Ming ed., Hong Kong Government and Politics (Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 2003). (English only)

z Study Guide on Hong Kong Government and Politics (online), http://www.hku.hk/hkcsp/ccex/text/studyguide/hkpolitics/2_1.html (English only)

z Steve Tsang ed., Government and Politics (Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press,1995). (English only)

z Ho Pui-yan, The Administrative History of the Hong Kong Government Agencies, 1841-2002 (Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2004). (English only)

z Study Guide on Hong Kong: A Reader in Social History (online), http://www.hku.hk/hkcsp/ccex/text/studyguide/hkhist/unit1.htm (English only)

z Peter Harris, Hong Kong: A Study in Bureaucracy and Politics (Hong Kong: Macmillian Publishers (HK) Ltd, 1988).

z David Akers-Jones, Feeling the Stones: Reminiscences By David Akers-Jones (Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2004).

1 History (S4-5) Theme A: Modernization and Transformation of Twentieth-Century Asia Sub-theme a: Growth and Development of Hong Kong

Study Sources A, B and C carefully.

Source A

The following pictures show the Government House located in Central in 2003. The Government House was formerly the office and residence of previous Governors of Hong Kong. It was then used as the military headquarters for the Japanese until 1945. Since its completion in 1855, the Government House had underwent a number of large-scale renovations, with the latest undertaken in 1942 when Hong Kong was under Japanese rule, such as the construction of a central tower to link the two original buildings and modifications to the roofs to add in more Japanese flavour.

2 History (S4-5) Theme A: Modernization and Transformation of Twentieth-Century Asia Sub-theme a: Growth and Development of Hong Kong

Source B

Governors of Hong Kong were British officials appointed by the British Government. In general, the Governor was head of the Hong Kong Government, and Commander-in-Chief and Vice-Admiral of Hong Kong. The following pictures show five of them.

The first Governor: The second Governor: Henry Pottinger, 1843-1844 John Francis Davis, 1844-1848

The twenty-first Governor: The twenty-fifth Governor: The twenty-eighth Governor: Mark Young, 1941-1947 Murray MacLehose, 1971-1982 Christopher Patten, 1992-1997

Note: The above portraits are to be used only in this teaching package.

3 History (S4-5) Theme A: Modernization and Transformation of Twentieth-Century Asia Sub-theme a: Growth and Development of Hong Kong

Source C

The following paragraph is cited from the website of the Legislative Council, HKSAR.

From 26 January 1841 to 30 June 1997, Hong Kong was a British colony and its first constitution, in the form of Queen Victoria's Letters Patent entitled the Charter of the Colony of Hong Kong and proclaimed at the Government House on 26 June 1843, authorized the establishment of the Legislative Council and empowered “the Governor for the time being...with the advice of the said Legislative Council...to make and enact all such Laws and Ordinances as may from time to time be required for the peace, order and good government...of Hong Kong”. The Letters Patent of 1917, which replaced the 1843 Charter, added the significant words “and consent” after the words “with the advice”.

Questions a. Identify the change of functions of the Government House before and after 1997, with reference to Source A and using your own knowledge. b. With reference to the text in Source B, and the deeds of the five Governors mentioned in the Source, discuss the importance of the Governor to Hong Kong’s politics and society. c. Do you think British administration in Hong Kong was executive-led or legislative-led? Explain your answer with reference to Source C.

4 History (S4-5) Theme A: Modernization and Transformation of Twentieth-Century Asia Sub-theme a: Growth and Development of Hong Kong

Study Sources D and E carefully.

Source D

Pictured here is Man Mo Temple in Hollywood Road in the early twentieth century (left) and in 2003 (right). The couplet at the entrance to the Temple runs, “Uphold justice and forget your selfishness when you enter through this door impartially. Express what you want or what you want to get clearly without ambiguity when you are here.”

Source E

The following paragraph discusses some of the functions of the Man Mo Temple from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century.

Local Chinese did not want to go to government offices. Whenever they had disputes, they gathered at Man Mo Temple to resolve them. Chinese merchants and gentries attended assemblies held at the Temple to discuss current issues. The Temple, therefore, served as the local Chinese’s magistrate’s court and assembly.

5 History (S4-5) Theme A: Modernization and Transformation of Twentieth-Century Asia Sub-theme a: Growth and Development of Hong Kong

Questions a. With reference to Source D, where is Man Mo Temple located? With reference to the early history of the Hong Kong Island and the distribution of the Chinese population, explain why the Temple is located where it is. b. With reference to Source E, identify the traditional attitude of the Chinese towards politics. c. In what ways did the history of the Man Mo Temple reflect the attitude you identified in (b)? Explain your answer with reference to Sources D and E. d. “The early British administration in Hong Kong was characterized primarily by the segregation between the Chinese and non-Chinese.” Comment on the validity of this statement with reference to Sources D and E and using your own knowledge.

6 History (S4-5) Theme A: Modernization and Transformation of Twentieth-Century Asia Sub-theme a: Growth and Development of Hong Kong

Study Sources F and G carefully.

Source F The following extract, which comes from a recent publication on Hong Kong history, discusses the proclamation that announced British rule over Hong Kong in 1841.

[T]he proclamation also pacified its inhabitants by reassuring them that although they were now British subjects, they would be governed according to “the laws, custom, and usage of Chinese,…”, so that despite the change of regime, life would remain largely the same.

Source G The following extract represents the viewpoint of Sir John Pope Hennessy, Governor of Hong Kong (1877-1882), on government administration and the customs of the local Chinese.

One of the government official had submitted certain rules respecting Chinese burials and graves which were about to be carried into effect…I found that they had been derived apparently for sanitary proposes only…I could not avoid seeing that the rules did not show much respect for the customs or prejudices of the natives on the subject of grave…Those rules had been drawn up by three European gentlemen, that the Chinese community had not been consulted and knew nothing of sweeping reform that was impending.

Questions

a. According to Source F, what was the attitude of the Hong Kong government towards the Chinese soon after Hong Kong was put under British rule in 1842? b. Can Source G be regarded as an evidence of Source F? Explain your answer with reference to Source G.

7 History (S4-5) Theme A: Modernization and Transformation of Twentieth-Century Asia Sub-theme a: Growth and Development of Hong Kong

Study Sources H to K carefully.

Source H

The following extract is part of the Convention Respecting an Extension of the Hong Kong Territory signed in 1898.

Whereas it has for many years past been recognized that an extension of Hong Kong territory is necessary for the proper defense and protection of the Colony. It has now been agreed between the Governments of Great Britain and China that the limits of British territory shall be enlarged under lease to the extent indicated generally on the annexed map… It is further understood that there will be no expropriation or expulsion of the inhabitants of the district included within the extension, and that if land is required for public offices, fortifications, or the like official purposes, it shall be bought at a fair price.

Source I

The District Offices (North and South) were established in 1907 and 1910 respectively. A District Officer mentioned in a report in 1912:

“The Administration of the New Territories is now wholly in the hands of the District Officer, and the Assistant Officer (South), subject only to the higher authority of the Captain Superintendent of Police in police matters, and of the Supreme Court in civil cases with $200 at stake…”

8 History (S4-5) Theme A: Modernization and Transformation of Twentieth-Century Asia Sub-theme a: Growth and Development of Hong Kong

Source J

The following extract, adapted from a recent publication, is about the change in the administration of the New Territories in the first half of the twentieth century.

In 1907 the title of the Police Magistrate was changed to District Officer (North). And in September 1910 the Assistant Land Officer was transferred to the District Office with the title of Assistant District Officer (South). …At that time, the main responsibility of the District Officers was land registration, the issue of land use permit, and hearing court cases.

Source K

The following is cited from an order given by the Tai Po District Office in 1927.

“…The shores in the vicinity of Chung Him School are an important area…It has been said that for convenience and in disregard of public interest, some ignorant villagers have been dredging and removing sand and stones from the area without authority. This can in fact, destroy the foundation of the bridge, hence threatening its safety. From now on, nobody is allowed to threaten public safety by dredging and removing sand and stones from the shore area of the school.”

Questions a. According to Source H, how distinguished was the status of the New Territories to that of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula? b. What were the functions of the District Office? Why was it necessary to set up an administrative system in the New Territories different from that for Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula? Explain your answer with reference to Sources H, I, J and K, and using your own knowledge.

9 History (S4-5) Theme A: Modernization and Transformation of Twentieth-Century Asia Sub-theme a: Growth and Development of Hong Kong

Provenance of sources

Sources A: Department of History, CUHK.

Source B: Wong Chi Man & Shao Long Hai, Hong Kong Governors from the First to the Last Oil Painting Portraits (Hong Kong: Yat Yuet Publication Co.)

Source C: Legislative Council – History of the Legislative Council (online), http://www.legco.gov.hk/english/index.htm [accessed 23 March 2004].

Source D Right: 福山堂 – 荷李活道文武廟，【在線】， http://ww.fushantang.com/1005/e1007.html [下載日期：2004 年 3 月 23 日]。 Left: Hong Kong Museum of History.

Source E: 福山堂 – 荷李活道文武廟，【在線】， http://ww.fushantang.com/1005/e1007.html [下載日期：2004 年 3 月 23 日]。

Source F: Y.W. Lau, A History of the Municipal Councils of Hong Kong 1883-1999: From the Sanitary Board to the Urban Council and the Regional Council (Hong Kong: Leisure and Cultural Service Dept., 2002), p.13.

Source G: Elizabeth Sinn, Power and Charity: the Early History of the Tung Wah Hospital, Hong Kong (Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 1989), p.8.

Source H: 余繩武、劉存寬主編，《十九世紀的香港》(香港：麒麟書業有限公司， 1997)，頁 110。

Source I: New Territories Ordinance, 1910, cap. 91, Laws of Hong Kong. Steve Tsang, Government and Politics (Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 1995), p.39.

Source J: Antiquities and Monuments Office, HKSAR. 劉潤和著：《新界簡史》（香港：三聯書店（香港）有限公司，1999 年），頁 39 至 41。

10 History (S4-5) Theme A: Modernization and Transformation of Twentieth-Century Asia Sub-theme a: Growth and Development of Hong Kong

Source K: 蕭國健、沈思合編：《香港華文碑刻集：新界篇一》（香港：顯朝書室， 1993 年），頁 6。