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addition to the acknowledgments and thanks of the Colonial Government and the Colonial com- munity,
3I have already placed on record my strong sense of the firmness and gallantry which were shown in the face of the epidemic, and I can only again repeat my personal acknowledgments to those who on behalf of others risked their life and health at this tryin time. have the hou. our to be, sir, your most obedient, humble ser- vant,
RIPON.
Governor Sir W. Robinson, K.C.M.G., &c], &o.,
&c.
EXCHANGE COMPENSATION.
We bear that telegraphic intelligence has been received to the effect that the Secretary of State has reconsidered bis decision with respect to the exchange compensation to be allowed to the Hongkong civil service and has, on the re- presentations made to him, granted the same terms to the Hongking officials as to those of Singapore. At Singapore the terms offered, and socepted, were that half of the salary of an officer while on duty should be paid at the rate of 33. to the dollar and that leave pay should be drawn at the rate of 4. to the dollar. At Hongkong the offer was, payment of half salary while in the colony at 3s. aud leave pay at the same rate. The majority of those affected declined the offer and represented to the Secretary of State that the Hongkong service was entitled to be dealt with on the same basis as the Singapore service. This representation has prevailed and the terms now granted and accepted are to take effect as from the 1st January, 1894. Consequently all the members of the service, except those who have been on leave, will have the satisfaction of receiving a cheque för a sum amounting to about twenty-fire per cent. of their year's salary. The Governor, for instance, will receive about $8.000 and other officers in proportion, down to the hamble clerk hitherto in receipt of a hundred dollars a month, who will now get a lump sum of "three hundred dollars to swell his account at the bank and will as from the beginning of the present year draw, say, $125 a month. And the more exchange falls the better it will be for the officials, because the more dollars will they have to draw.
SUICIDE OF A HONGKONG POLICE RECRUIT.
On Monday morning Alexander Cuthbert, a constable in the Hongkong Police Force, com- mitted suicide at the Central Station by out- ting his throat with a razor. Cuthbert was a native of Glass, Banffshire, Scotland, and was one of the ten men that arrived in Hongkong on the 9th inat, in charge of Inspector Stanton, He was a steady man, of temperate habits, and had the advantage of having a brother, who is a sergeant, in the force. He was twenty six years of age and rather reserved. Since his arrival here he had been very quiet
He seemed to like the colony. but could not, for some reason, settle himself down to his work, and it is believed that this circumstance tended to unhinge his mind. Yesterday morning he had his breakfast about eight o'clock and a few minutes after finishing his meal he was seen to walk across the yard smoking. A short time afterwards the cook to the Europeans found him dead in one of the outhouses. His throat was cut in a shocking fashion and the windpipe severed. He was dead when fouud and the ranor was in his left hand. The deceased was a single man and was formerly in the Army.
་4:
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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HONGKONG SANITARY BOARD.
Sanitary Board was held on Thursday afternoon. The fortnightly meeting of the Hongkong Mr. F. H. May, Captain Superintendent of Police, presided, and there were also present Ilon. F. A. Cooper, Director of Public Works, Mr. J. J. Fracois, Q.C., Dr. Hartigan, Mr. R. K. Leigh, and Mr. H. McCallum (Secretary). The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
SHEEP AND SWINE DEPOTS.
[March 20, 1895.
and urged the most influental representatives of the districts in China from which the coolies in Hongkong chiefly come to co-operate in the same direction. Both these parties, report that they have complied with my request, but no head coolies have registered up to the present time.
5.-In forwarding this report I beg to point out that I have not consulted any of the Euro- pean merchants, who, either through head coolies or compra lores, in many instances employ large numbers of coolies. They could no doubt reader. valuable assistance in this matter, and I would suggest that before any prosecutions are in- stituted, which, I presume, will be done at the instance of the Sanitary Board, they should be consulted either through the Chamber of Com- merce or the Sauitary Board."
G
The report of the Committes of the Sanitary Board appointed at a meeting held on 31st January last to consider and advise on the management of the sheep and pig depots was read. of the law with reference to the depots, that the the report recommended the alteration keeping of cattle, sheep, or pigs intended for
Appended were the following minutes :- slaughter be forbidden in any other place than
Dr. Hartigan.-It seems to me that the Registrar. General has fully informe! the Chinese as to the nature the Government depots, and the withdrawal of
and object of the law and it certainly should be enforced the authority now vested in the Sanitary promptly, else all recent sanitary regulations will be Board to license places for
useless. of cattle, sheep, and pigs for slangliter. report, that no steps have been taken to enforce these by. the keeping Mr. J. J. Francis, Q.C.—I am sorry to find, from this The Committee were of opinion that it laws. They came into operation, I think, on the 1st was highly undesirable from a sanitary point January, and, having heard nothing on the subject dur of view that any house or place in the city, howing the last two months, I was under the impression that ever well fitted, should be used for such purpose. enforce them promptly. There has been too much nego- they had been obeyed. I see nothing for it now but to The population was too dense to render it advis tiation and to great delay. able.
The Chinese will simply outskirts of the city, and so situated that there
The Government depots were in the despise us. I strongly deprecate any negotiation through
the European merchants and their compradores. was no probability of the immediate neighbour coolies and their head men will look upon it as a sign of hood becoming built upon or overcrowded The Committee also suggested the making of for exit and entrance for the sheep and pigs.. a second entrance so as to give separate means
Special by-laws were attached to the report, and Hon. F. A. COOPER moved the adoption of the report and by-laws. The resolution was seconded by Mr. LEIGH and carried.
The
weakness and indecision, The laws have been framed with every desire to bear as lightly as possible on the coolies and to consider their feelings and prejudices in every possible way, and they must now be enforced per- emptorily and at once. If anything in the s ape of a strike or disturbance takes place, the Govern. ment must be prepared to deport at once every Fend man concerned in it, or rather every head man whose coolies go cut on strike, no matter how much he may protest his ignorance. Chinese leaders-compradores, coplies, and head men-all sym. pathise and support these movements, and it must not be forgotten that combinations and strikes for the retary of the Board and Sanitary Super-purpose of coercing the Government to alter the intendent he separated, and that an additional is no resemblance between a strike to give effect to are in the nature of seditions conspiracies. There officer be appointed to fill the office of Super- certain claims as intendeut.
between employer and workman and a strike the direct object of which is to compel the Government to alter or refrain from enforcing the law.
THE OFFICES OF SECRETARY AND SUPERINTENDENT,
The CHAIRMAN moved that the office of Sec-
Mr. FRANCIS seconded. Carried.
Hon. F. A. COOPER-The attention of the Government ought to be called to the urgent necessity of making the appointment at once.
THE REGULATION OF COMMON, LODGING
HOUSES..
Mr. R. K. Leigh-I agree with Dr. Hartigan. The Captain Superintendent of Police-I certainly agree with Mr. Francis. There has been far too much coolie rule" in Hongkong; hence every reform, whether sanitary or otherwise, is met with invariable non possumus from the native population. I do not think any good can be done by further negotiation and advise immediate prosecutions.
**
The Acting Colonial Secretary forwarded a report by the Registrar General on the subject
The CHAIRMAN moved that of Common Lodging House by-laws. The re-opinion that coolie house masters not registered port was as follows:-
This Board is of
"I have the honour to report for the informa.send for a dozen of these men and tell them that should be summoned forthwith." He intended to tion of H. E, the Governor that the regulations the Board would not stand any more shilly for the registration of Common Lodging Houses shallying, and that if they were not registered have not been complied with by the persons whom they affect.
within 48 hours they would be proceeded against.
Mr. FRANCIS seconded, Carried.
"2-Previous to the date on which these re gulations came into force, I carefully explained them to the masters and occupants of common lodging-houses or what are known as coolie houses, with a view to removing more commonly any misapprehension which might existand to pre- venting any misunderstanding arising as to their object. That such misapprehension did exist was evident, for the head coolies and those who work under them were labouring under an erroueous impression that registration fees would be charged and that photographs of coolies would be required. forming representatives of the coolies that no In addition to orally in- fees would be charged and that no photographs would be required, I caused a Chinese notice to be drawn up to the same effect, and distributed in large numbers amongst the head men and coolies.
1
WATER-CLOSETS.
An application was made by Messrs. Leigh and and Co., for permission to erect three water. Orange, on behalf of Messrs. D. Sassoon, Sons closets in their offices. The following minutes
were appended :-
Mr. J. J. Francis-In order to comply with the re commendations of the Committee on the subject unanimously adopted by the Board at its meating there must be a full report on their premises showing facts from which the Board can come to the conclusion that these offices cannot be properly worked under the
quired. If this application is granted-every set of bucket system. It will require a very full and very clear r port indeed to convince me that closets are re- offices in Hongkong will have an equally good claim,
The Captain Superintendent of Police-The pre- mises seem to me to come under No. 1 of the recom- mendations of the Committge.
The Director of Public Works-These offices are, is so it seems a case in which permission should be believe, to a large extent used by Europeans. If this
Mr. FRANCIS moved that the report be re- ferred back to Mr. Crook, asking him to give his reasons for recommending the granting of per mission. In each case there ought to be a de- tailed report to show the reason why the Sur- veyor recommends.
"3. Having learned at the same time that a A short time ago, we learn from the Progrès de rumour was being spread that the ultimate ob- Saigon, a tiger was seen not far from Mytho, inject of the Government in introducing the re-granted.
district where no wild beasts had previously gulations with regard to coolie houses was to been seen for twenty years. A Customs em levy a poll-tax on all Chinese resident in the ployé was sent for by the natives and requested colony, I caused a contradiction of this baseless to shoot the animal. He was fortunate enough fabrication to be inserted in the Chinese notice to got a shot at it which inflicted a mortal wood, and affixed a reward to any one who could furnish but after receiving the shot the tiger made au information which would lead to the discovery of enormous bound of over six yards and struck the the persons who had put the rumour in circula- Customs employé on the head, inflicting injuries tion. No one has as yet shown any desire to which though not dangerous, were serious enough obtain the reward. to keep him in hospital for a fortnight. It is said he owed his life to the shape of his helmet, on which the tiger's claws slipped. The body of the tiger was found some time later a short distance away.
4-In addition to holding several interviews with head coolies and o olies and notifying them as indicated, I also requested the leading Chinese merchants who are large employers of coolie labour to explain the position to their employes,
Hon. F.A. COOPER proposed an amendment, The Board had publicly made known their re- commendations in regard to the drainage system, and applicants, in sending in their applications ought to carefully consider those recommenda tions, and furnish the Board in the first instance with full details which appeared necessary. He moved that the application be referred back to