Petition from certain Chinese praying for remission of Quit Rent on their Burial Ground at this Settlement. 11th Oct 1829

To The Hon. R Fullerton Esqr
Gov’r in Council
The Humble Petition of Chinese Inhabitants

Most Humbly Sheweth
　　That your Petitioners most submissively beg leave to introduce their ample circumstances into your Honor’s previous time. That in the year One thousand eight hundred and twenty seven your Petitioner bought from the Honorable Company the Hill that is situated near the New Building Sepoy line for their Burial place. And your Petitioners yearly pay to the Hon. Company a quit rent of twenty one Spanish Dollars and 30/100 part of which has been taken in by Government and added to be new Cantonment of which sum they cannot afford to pay. Therefore they implore that your Honor will take the case into your serious consideration and grant them possession to the ground [free] of Rent.

　　For which act of indulgence your humble Petitioners shall as in duty bound and ever pray.

Singapore Oct 11, 1829
(Signature in Chinese characters)

I Puttello Esqr.
Secretary to the Government
Prince of Wales Island, Singapore and Malacca

　　I have the honor to bring to the notice of Government that the present Chinese Burial Ground No. 25 Periodical Lease pays an annual Quit Rent of 21$, which the Chinese are anxious it should be exempted from, and considering the nature of it appropriation, it is probable the Government will liberally forego. On this point I request the directions of Government.

I have the honor to be
Your most Obedient Servant
S. G. Bonham
Superintendent of Lands
Singapore 13th October 1829

　　(Extracts of a council meeting between Governor Robert Fullerton and Resident Councillor Kenneth Murchison held on 13th October 1829)

　　…Read a petition from certain Chinese praying the remission of Quit Rent on some Ground occupied as the Chinese Burying Place. Resolved that as Grounds occupied for such purposes at Prince of Wales Island and Malacca are exempt from Quit Rent, that the same indulgences be granted here, with the understanding that if the Ground in question is hereafter appropriated for other purposes than a Burying Place, Quit Rent will be claimed on it by Government.

　　Read a letter from the Superintendent of Lands stating that the Chinese wish to be exempted from Quit Rent on the ground allotted for their Burying Place.

　　The Resolution on the immediately preceding Petition of the Chinese renders, in the opinion of the Board any further notice of Mr. Bonham’s letter unnecessary.

　　1829年10月11日，华民祈求坟山减免地租请愿书

致浮尔顿总督：
华民请愿书

　　请愿人恭谨的向您陈情。1827年请愿人从贵( 东印度) 公司购买了坐落在印度兵营新建筑屋附近的小丘，作为他们的坟山。请愿人每年向公司交纳21 西班牙元的地租。其中百分之三十的坟地已被政府征用划入新兵营。使得他们难以支付（昂贵的）地租。因此，他们恳求（总督）大人慎重考虑此请愿，让他们拥有免缴地租金的坟山。如俯允所请，请愿人必尽忠克守为祈。

李锦、林澁、高先
新加坡
1829年10月11日

致尊贵的柏杜罗
海峡殖民地（威尔斯太子岛（槟城）、新加坡、马六甲）
政府秘书

　　兹向政府呈报目前第25 号华民坟山缴交年租21 元。华民恳求政府准予免缴地租。考虑到其土地用途的性质，政府也许可以免除地租。兹为此恳求政府给予指示。

S. G. 波汉
土地局局长
新加坡
1829年10月13日

　　（1829年10月13日总督罗伯特·浮尔顿与参政司肯尼斯·默奇森开会的会议记录摘要）

　　……审阅一份华人祈求坟山减免地租请愿书。

　　议决既然威尔斯太子岛（槟城）及马六甲的此类用途的土地都免缴地租，准予免缴地租，但是如果该土地日后改用在其他用途，则政府将征收地租。

　　审阅土地局局长有关华人恳求政府准予免缴坟山地租的信。上述华民请愿书已有决议，波汉先生的信不必另行通知。