continued to be unprofitable, braham's agreement was not renewed; considerable saving has thus been made. The oil mill has not been run to its full capacity owing to the abnormally high rates ruling for seeds during a portion of the season, but a market has now been established for both cake and oil, so this branch of the Company's business gives promise of doing fairly well in the future.
The acid works have suffered through the continued decline in the supply of silver for the refiners, but there has been a considerable in- crease in local business, and this increase is con- fidently expected by your directors to expand still
further.
The Shun Pao newspaper has continued to do well; and is year by year becoming a more valuable property.
THE CITY HALL.
submitted
The following is the report to the annual meeting of shareholders in and subscribers to the City Hall :-
COMMITTEE.
The Hon. J. J. Keswick resigned his seat upon leaving the colony and Mr. J. J. Bell. Irving was asked to fill the vacancy. The Committee now consists of the Hon. J. J. Bell- Irving (Chairman), H. L. Dalrymple, H. N. Mody, B. Layton, and N. A. Siebs.
THE STATE OF THE BUILDING.
The building generally is in a fair state of repair. The sum of $275.06 was expended in effecting the special repairs to the wood- work necessitated by white ants which, as in former years, were again found to have in. vaded the building. The plaster ceilings in the angle cupolas have now been replaced with open lattice-work which allows of the penetration of light and air, and it is hoped that the expenses under this head will continue light in future. It appears, however, to be an absolute impossibility to keep the building wholly free from this scourge.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
as the Committee have neither the staff nor space available for a lending Ibrary they did hot con- sider themselves at liberty to accept the sugges. tion. By affording space for the Morrison and Victoria libraries during the last twenty-six years the Committee are convinced that two valuable collections of books have been preserved for the use of the colony, and should the new library at any time be in a position to relieve them of their trust and take over these two libraries and provide them with suitable accom- modation they will gladly hand them over. The City Hall library was frequently by 3260 readers during the twelve months under review, and the publishers of the Hongkong journals have to be again thanked for supplying their newspapers free of charge.
THE MUSEUM.
Between the 1st July, 1894, and 30th June, 1895, the visitors were somewhat less in number than during the preceding year; this, however, was largely owing to the plague which was at its worst during the first few months of this period. The total number of risitors was 90,638, of whom 83,830 were Chinese. Additions to the collection were made by the Honourable E. R. Belilios and Messrs. Anderson. Chan Kam
Tong. Chun Tong, D'Aguila, Edwards, Kew. Korn, Perkins, Place, Remedios. Sung Su Ying.
and Wilkinson.
ACCOUNTS,
The balance in the hauds of the Honorary Treasurer on the 30th June, 1895, was $2.795.89. as appears from the annexed figures. The cost of the installation of the electric light in the ball room suite not being paid for before the 30th June does not appear in the account, but will go to swell the disbursements during the current year.
In addition to the balance above referred to. there is a sum of $11,025.00 to the credit of the City Hall on fixed deposit in the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank.
To balance in hands of the Hon. Trea- surer on 20th June, 1594, as shown in last report
H
To receipts from Theatre St. Andrew's
Hall, Ball Room, &c., &
To rent of Chamber of Commerce
July, 1894, and 30th Jhje. 1-95... To Government Grant for 1×93 To interest on current account in Hong--
kong and Shanghai Bank to 30th June, 1895
The ball room suite has been considerably improved by the introduction of the electric light at an initial cost of $1,800. The Com-To subscriptions collected Letween 1st mittee regret that they have so far been unable to introduce the same illuminant into the theatre, as the motive power at the disposal of the Electric Company at prezent is insufficient to enable them to promise a sufficient supply of electricity while the consumption is of an intermittent nature. With the increased use of the electric light throughout the colony it is hoped that before long it will be possible to extend the use of it to the theatre as well as to the other portions of the building.
During the twelve months, from 1st July, 1894, to 30th June, 1895. the theatre and the St. Andrew's ball were utilized by the Hong kong Minstrel Troupe, the Allison Vaudeville Co., Miss Elsie Adair, Mr. Ruchwaldy, Mr. Cattaneo, the Philharmonic Society, Smoking Concert Club, the Rifle Brigade, Hicks' Orioles, Williamson's Chicago Co., the Amateur Dra- matic Club, the Centurion Amateurs, Mr Saville Smith, the Sailors' Institute, Miss Sallie Booth, Mr. D. C. Smith, Mr. Carey, and the New. Willard Opera Company. The usual bazaars for charitable purposes were held in the St. Andrew's hall free of charge, and the rooms have been placed at the dis- posal of those interested in prize distributions, educational examinations, and benevolent objects without rent being asked for.
The gross receipts from the theatre and St. Andrew's hall between 1st July, 1894, and 30th June, 1895, amounted to $4,520.72 as against $3,170.23 during the previous year. The amount obtained from the letting of the ball room suite during the same twelve months was $1,001.03 as against $1;133.21 in 1893-1894.
THE LIBRARY.
Mr. Niedhart presented a valuable work in gixteen volumes entitled "Pharmaceutische Cen- tralhalle" from 1880 to 1891, and forty-three works printed in Hongkong have been placed upon the shelves. During the year a suggestion was made to the Committee that it would be well to amalgamate the City Hall library with the new public library about to be started, but
By wages for 2 months. By repairs and alterations By gus
Br museum and office expences By Insurance premia By Government Fire Brigade By interest from Dec, 189, to June, 1894, on deposit added to fixed deposit in By balance............
Hongkong and Shanghai Bank
$2,155,32
28.61
after looking though the teams to lay very long odds on either side, if the game had to be played over again. It is not very often that the fielding upon the Hongkong cricket ground affords oppertunity for much slapping of the chest, but the game under discussion may be remembered-in spite of one or two mistakes as remarkable for the number of really gallery catches that were brought off, as well as for the general smartness of the fielding all round. The catch with which Holland dismissed Anton in the first innings was really brilliant, whilst Eccles, Alexander, Dyson, E. W. Maitland, and Private Green brought off catches which were quite out of the ordinary run,
Sercombe Smith was fortunate in getting the best of the spin for the choice of innings, and naturally elected to bat, sending in Ellis and Hancock to the bowling of Powlett and Green. The latter should have been caught in the slips off an early delivery of the fast bowler, but having had this escape both batsmen settled down to steady cricket and in spite of one or two changes in the bowling the score had been raised to 67 before Hancock was caught at the wicket off Alexander for a very well played 40,, which included a five and five four's. The new comer was Firth, and he and Ellis stayed together till the telegraph board showed 111, at which total Green dismissed the latter for 45; a steadily played innings and compiled, as far as ге saw, without a chance. The four or five succeeding batsmen did little' to distinguish themselves individually, but they stayed whilst Firth, who was batting in quite his old form, put on runs at his end. With the total at 198 Firth was very smartly taken in the slips by Alexander off Vallings for 66, the highest score, and probably the best in- nings of the two days' dricket. The only bats- man who made any serious resistance to the bowling from this point was Sercombe Smith, who eventually carried out his bat for a well played 24. Vallings and Green divided the bowling honours, but the latter had the better of the analysis, with the very creditable figures of 4 wickets for 42 runs.
The Services opened their innings with Camp $88.75 bell and Holland to the bowling of E. W 300.00 Maitland and Sercombe Smith. Only 4 runs had been scored when the latter found his way $20.00 to Holland's wicket, and a few minutes later 1,400 00 Campbell, who had made three 4's to leg, cut one
of EW. Maitland's balls into point's hands This was a bad start, but further reverses were in store for the batting side, for at 41 Dyson was clean bowled by Sercombe Smith; at 52 $10,992.68 Vallings was caught at mid off by Ellis off the same bowler; and at 53 Grafton was run out in $3,3448.00
attempting a very ill-judged run. Eccles, who 1,852 88
was the new comer, put more life into the game, 190.98 hitting Maitland out of the ground for 6, and 96.18 threatening to put quite a different complexion 101.00 upon the game, until a change of bowling 27.75 brought about his dismissal, for when
he had put together 39 runs he skied one of Hancock's into F. Maitland's hands; 450.00 and shortly afterwards the innings closed 2.795.89
for 111 runs, Green being indisposed and unable to bat. Sercombe Smith bowled extremely
J. J. BELL-laying,
Chairman.
CRICKET.
THE CRICKET CLUB v. THE UNITED
SERVICES.
- $10,992.68 | well for the Club, capturing 6 wickets for 47 runs, a very fine performance. Being 123 runs to the bad the Services had to follow on their innings, but did not succeed, to any great extent in improving upon their first venture. Camp- bell in the early part of the innings and Alexander later played good cricket, but these were the only batsmen to offer any serious resistance to the bowling, and when the former was caught at point for 43 the innings was practically over, Alexander carrying out his bat, for a carefully played 31. This time Hancock was the most successful bowler, with 6 wickets-and the best wickets, too for 58 runs. The lab were left with 28 runs to win. and these were knocked off by Anton and F. Maitland without the loss of a wicket. Being anxious ug to lose an hour's cricket the Club continued their innings after the match was over and eventually were all out for 77. Green again bowled very successfully, taking 4 wickets for 35 runs, whilst Vallings was almost. as successful, with 4 for 40.
The match with the United Services is always looked forward to as the perhaps most interest- ing fixture of the Cricket Club, from the fact that it is the only occasion upon which the Club has to rely exclusively upon the civilian element; and as a consequence it is the nearest approach to a really exciting encounter which Hongkong-in the absence of an inter-port match-can get up. A reference to old records will show that in the past the honours of the game have been divided pretty evenly, and although in the present instance the Club won rather
handsomely by ten wickets,
By the courtesy of Col. St Paul and the officers the band of the Rifle Brigade, played a very attractive selection of music upon the it would require a pretty bold punter-ground during the afternoon of the second day..