October 10, 1895.]
HONGKONG.
Events of importance have been somewhat scarce in the colony during the past week. On Friday Hon. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Colonial Secretary, was appointed Rector of the College of Medicine for Chinese in the room of Sir Fielding Clarke. The shareholders of the Hongkong Hotel Company, Limited, met at noon on the same day. On Saturday an im. portant opium case was decided at the Magistracy, and in the evening a successful concert was given at Mount Austin Hotel in aid of the funds of the Alice Memorial Hospital.
There were 2,166 visitors to the City Hall Museum last week, of whom 161 were Europeans. The English community generally and the sporting section in particular will be glad to learn the popular D.A.A.G. B., Captain A. H. Thomas, has attained his Majority.
Cape D'Aguilar light which is to be used for the last time on 29th February, is to be sold, and efforts are being made to obtain an offer for it from the Japanese Government.
It is reported that defensive works for the protection of the south side of the island have been decided upon and that the construction of forts on High West will shortly be commenced A turncock coolie was on Tuesday (1st inst.) sent to gaol for six months for stealing a silver watch, of the value of $20, from the bedroom of John Ross, overseer, Public Works Depart- ment, who lives at Yaumati.
At the Alice Memorial Hospital last month the number of in-patients treated was 62 and the number of out-patient visits was 1,552. At the Nethersole Hospital the number of in- patients was 25 and the out-patient visits 47.
The Secretary of the Punjom Mining Co., Limited, advises that he has received the follow- ing telegram from the mine, being the result of the September crushing:- The mill ran 26 days, crushing 1,000 tons of stone yielding 437
ounces of bullion.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
A telegram from Raub, dated 25th September, states: Crushing finished. 2,875 tons stone realized 1,350 ounces smelted gold. Prospects remain unchanged." The previous telegram of 2,400 tons stone as having realized 1,500 ounces a finished crushing bore date 4th July. It gave smelted gold.
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The Scottish Oriental steamer Kong Bong, which arrived on Monday from Bangkok, had slight accident when leaving the latter port and had to put back for repairs. She left ori- up at Koh-si-chang. About 7.15 p.m. on the 22nd, ginally on the 20th September with orders to fill
night was very dark, and although the course while making for her anchorage at Koh-si-chang, a lighter was observed crossing her bows. The of the Kong Beng was at once altered she was too close to avoid a collision. It is said that
the lighter carried no lights. The Kong Beng had a few plates factured in her bow, and went into the Bangkok dock for repairs.
Police Court on Friday with refusing to obey Captain Burnie charged two coolies at the his orders. The complainant told the coolies to carry some water, and it was not until they were told twice that they obeyed him. He then ordered them to carry him in his chair from his house in Robinson Road to his office and they refused. Each coolie was fined $5. sample of Dusun cotton was picked last month attempted murder of a prostitute at 86, Stanley The British North Borneo Herald says:--Acharged at the Police Court on Tuesday with the Chung Hoi Mun, interpreter, was again
three days rain when pe; the sample was at Loong Piasow after being subject to two or Street Dr. Atkinson spoke to the injuries the sent to Hongkong and is reported as being of
woman received about her face and said that
seeds, and of good colour." "fine quality, long staple, very clean, free from inches long and one inch deep. She was never the most serious was one on her cheek, five It is valued at $18 in a dangerous condition, but the prisoner, who was admitted to the hospital at the same time, was seriously suffering from the effects of opium poisoning. When in the hospital he attempted said he was unconscious when he inflicted the to jump over the verandah. The prisoner, who
wounds, was committed for trial,
to $19 per picul as against a quotation at the same date of China cotton $174 to $194 and Indian at $14 to $16.
A number of mat sheds at Quarry Bay were destroyed by fire on Sunday night. The fire made a big blaze, but it burnt itself out in a very few minutes Information of the outbreak was telegraphed to the Water Police Station, and Hou. Commander W. CH. Hastings, Superintendent of the Fire Brigade, hurried in a launch to the fire which, however, was very pearly out when he arrived. The origin of the butbreak is not known.
of the
The following amended by-law made by the Governor in Council is published in the Gazette: The Sanitary Board shall, from time to time, fix the hours during which each market shall be open
to the public. The hours during which posted on a board placed in a conspicuous posi- a market will be open to the public shall be tion at the market. In every instance at least tion in the hours during which any of one month's notice shall be given of any altera- markets will be open to the public. At the Marine Magistrates' Court on Monday, By the Douglas steamer Thales, which arrived before Hon. W. C. H. Hastings, Acting Harbour from Tainanfoo on Sunday, we learn that beyond Master, William Stewart, seaman, was charged a few three and five cent stamps the Formosa with wilfully disobeying the lawful orders of Republic's new issue cannot be procured, as for the master of the British ship Mount Lebanon, and also with absenting himself without leave. in the yamen to supply the demand. It is some reason they cannot be printed fast enough The master said the prisoner had given con- reported that the necessary ink is not procur- iderable trouble and although told not to leaveable in Formosa. It may be mentioned as a the ship he went away and stayed ashore on the warning to intending purchasers that the 4th and 5th inst. The prisoner said he had to stamps are being counterfeited at Amoy and sleep in the forecastle with Japanese and Chi-" the frauds are for sale at that port. nese seamen, and he went ashore to see his ship-
At the Police Court on Wednesday a licensed mates. On Thursday night fell and hurt chair coolie was charged with misconduct. A his head and was treated at the hospital. The gentlemau engaged a chair in Queen's Road to master replied that the prisoner could have got go to Belilios Terrace, but after going a short ashore any time he liked if he had behaved him-distance discovered that he had forgotten a self, but he continually got drunk. A sentence book. He returned for it, but when he wanted of seven days' imprisonment with hard labour was imposed.
to to them and claimed payment for get into the chair again one of the bearers the journey already performed. The coolie was given into custody and on being brought before the Magistrate yesterday was fined $2.
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About a month ago we drew attention to a shipment of native opium received at Canton by the Indo-China steamer Taisang from the North. That was, we believe, the first legitimate shipment from the North to Canton, but it looks as if the trade was likely to rapidly ex- tend, for we learn that the steamer Canton the other day brought down another shipment of forty chests. No doubt large quantities of the native drug have previously found their way to Canton overland, or by smuggling, but it is now being regularly shipped and passed through the Foreign Customs. To show the hold nativer opium is getting on the market and the effect of taxation, we learn that investigations were recently made as to the source from which a village in the neighbour hood of Hongkong drew its supplies, and it was found that it was Szechuen opium that was used and that it came by the overload route, the cost being less than that of opium imported from Hongkong! That implies that the drug must have escaped most of the squeeze stations on the way. No doubt considerable quantities of native opium have been conveyed to Canton by the same means for years past, but the com- mencement of regular shipments now noted would seem to indicate that the demand has be come too large to be supplied through irregular channels. It seems to be only a question of time how soon Indian opium will be driven out of the market by its cheaper rival.
Mr. J. R. Ford, Australian wool and produce buyer. whose address is 19, Macquarie Place, Sydney, N.S.W (as notified in our advertising columns), will, we learn, visit China and Japan after the wool season and will leave Sydney for that purpose in February next. The efforts to extend the trade of Australia with the Far East, for which two Government missions have been despatched, would appear to be bearing fruit, when private traders are induced to visit us for the purpose of establishing connections. We wish Mr. Ford success in his enterprise.
A small Chinese-merchant died on board the Shanghai-on the way from Singapore to Hong. kong and was buried at sea. Amongst his luggage was a box containing $300, and after his death the money was stolen. When the boat arrived at this port Detective-Sergeant McIvor boarded her for the purpose of in- vestigating the robbery, and one of deceased's friends told him he had seen another merchant open the box, take the money, and throw the box into the sea. This story was corroborated by a witness, and on the strength of it the alleged thief was apprehended, and on Friday he was taken before Hon. H. E. Wodehouse. The witness then denied witnessing the robbery, and the prisoner was remanded for a week for further inquiries to be made.
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of Bank notes in circulation and of specie in The following returns of the average amount
30th September, as certified by the Managers reserve in Hongkong, during the month ended
of the respective Banks, are published :-
Banks.
Chartered Bank of India,
Average Specie in
amount. reserve.
$ Hongkong and Shanghai
Australia, and China... 1,924,991' 1,000,000
Banking Corporation. 5,232,537 2,500,000 National Bank of China,
Limited
Total
369,869 228,000
7,527,397 3,728,000
At the Police Court on Tuesday (1st inst.), be-? fore Hon. H. E. Wodehouse, an Indian policeman › named Chunda Singh (501) was summoned for assaulting Che To, a hawker. The complainant is twelve years of age, and said he did not hawk, On the 28th ult. the defondant was running this, according to the boy's story, the defendant after a hawker who got clear away. Because of
caught hold of him, pulled him to the ground, stamped on his back, and gave him several blows about the body. The defendant denied the assault. The Magistrate said it was evident that the boy had told lies, and for that reason the case would be dismissed. His Worship added that the Sikhs were not justified in using violence against hawkers, who were not criminals, and if the boy had proved his case the defendant would have been severely punished.
At the Magistracy on Saturday, before Hon. H. E. Wodehouse, the hearing of the summons against Lum Sin Sang and Ho Tai Sang, the principals in the Man Fook Company, the opium farmers, was resumed. The case is of considerable importance. The defendants were charged with removing four chests of opium after seven o'clock in the evening of the 16th June last. On that night the police seized a boat containing the opium, and the two men in charge of it were charged at the Magistracy and convicted of moving it after seven o'clock. On appeal, however, the conviction was quashed, and it was now sought to make the opium farmers, who had obtained a permit to move the opium before seven o'clock, liable for the offence, After hearing the evidence on the last occasion- the Magistrate said the prosecution had not proved that the opium was being moved by the opium farmers, and therefore the case was adjourned until last Saturday for further evidence. Mr. Master, Acting Crown Solicitor, prosecuted on behalf of the Crown and Mr. Dennys appeared for the defendants.
It was admitted that the opium was the property of the defendants, but no evidence was given to prove that the men who were in charge at it were acting under the defendant's orders in moving it after legal hours. The Magistrate dismissed the case. Leave to appeal was granted, and the opium was ordered to be detained until the usual time for appeal had passed, when, if there is no appeal, it will be returned to the defendants..