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THE PO LEUNG KUK,
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The annual report of the Po Leung Kuk Society is published in Saturday's Gazette, from which we make the following extracts:
Arrangements were entered into with the Tang Wa Hospital regarding the ground on which it was desired to erect the buildings for a Home and part of which was occupied by the Kwong Fuk Temple and by the hospital dis- pensary. The temple was pulled down and re- built on a portion of its former site and on a piece of ground purchased from the Govern- ment for a sum of $1,585.50. The dispensary
has been enlarged and two storeys have been added to it to be used by the Po Leung Kuk, The thanks of the Society are due to Mr. Ló Chi-t'in, the Chairman of the Tung Wa Hospi- tal, and to the other Directors for their co- operation. The services of Mr. Denison were engaged to draw up plans for the new buildings, their internal arrangements being placed more immediately under the supervision of the elected Committee, the members of which devoted a great deal of time and trouble to the work. Work was commenced on the temple in Septem- ber and up to the end of the year $2,000 had been expended on it. The new buildings of the Po Leung Kuk were commenced in November, and it is hoped, that it will be possible to enter into them during the current year.
At a meeting held on the 29th August it was resolved to engage a matron to be in charge of the inmates. Mrs. Victor was engaged on probation for one month, and at the end of that time her engagement was confirmed. She keeps her charges in good order and has given satis. faction.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
of Messrs. Holme, Ringer & Co., witnessing, the accident from Bakan, went down in his launch and rendered valuable aid in procuring native craft to take off the fifteen foreign and some two hundred odd native passengers. After the tide had turned and the water had risen a little the engines were worked full speed astern, and at 11 am she backed off and, steaming round to the west side of Hikusima, she was beached on soft sloping sand close to Hama Island, about four miles off the place of the accident. She was per- fectly safe here, having the Hamo Bank on the seaward side, which would make an excellent breakwater in case of bad weather. As she grounded on the beach she had 12 feet of water in the second hold and drew 27 feet forward. Several small steamers, sailing vessels, and junks were waiting to discharge her, and night and day the work has been carried on with great energy. At night under all her electric lights she looked like a small city. This evening the last of the silk and sugar was discharged, and there remains only some general cargo and her coals, of which she had taken a full supply for the voyage at Nagasaki. This afternoon her own pumps had gained on the water, and to-morrow it is pro- posed to shift her farther up the beach. steamer with wrecking pumps and divers has left Nagasaki and the Gaelic will very probably be soon on her way to the dock. The foreign passengers were put up at Japanese hotels in Bakan and Moji and will proceed in the morning to kobe by the Genkai Maru.
A
This is a pure accident and much sympathy must be felt for Captain Perne, and also for Captain Walker, an old officer of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha, who has a very long and suc- cesful record in Japanese waters.—Ñ. C. Daily News correspondent.
During the year Mr. Coughtrie was appointed a Visiting Justice in place of Mr. Thurburn, and when Mr. Coughtrie left the colony, Captain Anderson was appointed in his place. Mr. Wei Ayuk was also appointed a Visiting Justice, and he, Mr. Ho Fook, and Captain THe hongkong GENERAL CHAM- Anderson visited the premises of the Society at regular intervals.
Before concluding, mention must be made of the Benevolent Societies at Canton, Macao, and other places, without the hearty co-operation -of which it would be impossible to carry on
effectively the work of the Society.
BETURN SHOWING THE NUMBER OF DESTI- TUTES DEALT WITH BETWEEN THE 1ST APRIL AND THE 31st DECEMBER, 1895.
Married
Adopted
Died
Sent home-Males
Sent home--Females
22 5
160 155
Destitutes still in' charge of the Society
-Women and Children
41
THE STRANDING OF THE “GAELIC."
BER OF COMMERCE.
August 27-1896.
antine in Singapore and examination in Shang- hai have since been dispensed with.
MR. JOHN ANDREW'S CLAIM Read letter from Colonial Secretary dated 12th August, informing Chamber that the Canton Government had paid to British Consul at Canton the sum of $2,182.52, amount of claim preferred by Mr. Andrew for loss incurred through the illegal action of the authorities at Wuchow-fu.
THE HARBOUR MASTER'S REPORT: A letter having been despatched to the Go- vernment on the 4th August, drawing attention to certain inaccuracies in the trade statistics
given by the Harbour Master in his report for 1895, a reply was received, dated 13th August, from the Colonial Secretary, acknowledging same, and bespeaking the Chamber's assistance for the Harbour Master in compiling his returns.
Resolved to reply to effect that the Chamber would be willing to lend such assistance were they not precluded from doing so by want of exact figures, the information furnished in the Chamber's letter being estimates only based on the experience of persons connected with the trade.
SPECIAL GAP ROCK LIGHT TAX. A letter was addressed to the Colonial Secre tary, dated 14th August, calling His Excellency the Governor's attention to the pledge given by his predecessor that when the purpose for which the Special Gap Rock Light Tax of 13
cents tou was fulfilled the same would be
per abolished, and asking for this undertaking to be carried into effect.
Read reply from Colonial Secretary, dated 14th August, stating the matter was receiving the attention of the Government.
THE INCREASED TELEGRAPH CHARGES,
Consequent on a resolution passed at a special meeting of the Committee, held on the 1st August, to consider the revised tariff of charges issued by the Joint Telegraph Com- panies on the 31st July, telegrams were despatched that afternoon to Shanghai, Yoko- hama, Singapore, and Saigon Chambers to the following effect
At a monthly meeting of the Committee held at the Chamber rooms on the 19th inst. there
"Hongkong Chamber protesting vigorously were present:--Messrs. A. McConachie (Chair- man), H. Smith (Vice-Chairman), Hon. J. J. against increased telegram charges," with addi Bell-Irving, G. B. Dodwell, N. J. Ede, T. Jack-tions, in case of Shanghai, "advise river and son, St. C. Michaelsen, N. A. Seibs, Hon. T. H. Whitehead, and R. C. Wilcox (Secretary).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the last monthly meeting and of a special meeting held 15th August were read and confirmed.
NEW MEMBERS.
Messrs. Jebsen & Co. and Messrs. Radecker & Co. were elected members of the Chamber.
IMPORT DUTIES IN CHINA.
Read letter from Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, dated June 22nd, acknowledging receipt of Chamber's letter of 19th May enclos- || ing copy of letter to British Minister on above
subject
northern ports," in that of Yokohama, “advise Kobe, Nagasaki,” and in that of Singapore "advise Penang." Letters were at the same time. “ addressed to the Canton, Amoy, and Foochow Chambers, advising them of the action of the Chamber. On the 4th, letters, following up telegram of lat, were addressed to Shanghai, Yokohama, Singapore, and Saigon Chambers, On the same date a letter was also sent to the London Chamber of Commerce, acquainting it with the increase in the telegraph tariff, and requesting its support to the effort being made f to resist same. On the 6th August a letter was addressed to the Acting Manager of the Joint Telegraph Companies strongly protesting Shimonoseki, 14th August. Also letter from Hon. Seo., Hongkong branch against the sudden increase of charges for At daylight, on the 13th August, as the of China Association, dated 18th August, en telegrams and combating the reason assigned ::
for the change of tariff. On the 8th August a 0. & O. steamer Gaelic, Captain Perne, was ap-closing telegram to London on subject. proaching Shimonoseki she unfortunately got BRUSSELS INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, 1897. letter was despatched to the Government, en- ashore. Captain Wilson Walker was the pilot Read letter from London Chamber of Com-closing copy of the Chamber's protest against in charge. She was drawing 24 feet, and the merce, dated 3rd July, stating that they had the increase to telegraph rates, and begging the tide was about half ebb, and it was running with accepted invitation to assist in organising a Governor to lend his support to the attempt to unusual force (the ebb tide runs in by here into British section of above, and asking Chamber be made to induce the Companies to revert to, their old tariff. On the 7th August, further the Inland Sea). About 6 a.m. she was steam- toco-operate to obtain local exhibits. ing through the Oseto, which channel sweeps in Resolved to publish letter, and to reply stat- letters were sent to Canton and Saigon, for-
warding copy of the Chamber's protest a long horseshoe curve round the south side ofing what had been done.
Telegraph Cos. On the 14th August, further Hikusima. She had passed the Narusi Rock, or Green Beacon, and while rounding Kibuni
letters were addressed to the Amoy, Fooohow, Point under her starboard helm to clear Yodsibi
Shanghai, Yokohama, and Singapore Cham- Shoal she unfortunately ran down a junk, and
bers, all enclosing copies of the above-named on the ship being stopped to render assistance,
protest. the very strong ebb tide caught her on the port side and swept her on the Yodsibi Shoal, where the grounded, close to the Red Beacon. The pi- lots say. this shoal is mostly gravel, and although no great anxiety was felt just at the time, all the boats were quietly swung out and lowered to the rail. The ship seemed to hang a little aft of midships, and as her bow fell with the tide she rested on something hard a little forward of the engine-room compartment. The back stays of the mainmast snapped, the mast being forced up about four inches, and water was re- ported in the second hold. Capt. Pearne, seeing now that the accident was a serious one, decided to lands mails and passengers. Mr. Wallace,
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THE OPENING OF THE WEST RIVER
On the 4th inst. letters were addressed to the Foreign Office and to the British Minister at Peking, asking whether there was any progress to report in the negotiations for the opening of the West River and other inland waterways of Kwangtung to trade and steam navigation. Copies of both were also forwarded to Hong kong Government.
QUARANTINE AGAINST HONGKONG.
On the 28th July, a letter having been addressed to the Government by the Chamber calling attention to the steady decline of the plague and asking when clean bills of health could be granted to steamers leaving hence, a letter had been received from the Colonial Secretary, dated 8th inst., announcing that clean bills of health were issued on the 7th inst. and telegrams to that effect despatched to Singapore, Manila, and Shanghai.
Replies had been received from the Acti Manager of the Joint Telegraph Compan the 7th Angust owning receipt of le test, on the 18th idem in contin respondence and enclosing garding cable charges from China, and on 19th idem; read at meeting, announcing templated reductions on the rates from Hong- kong to India and other countries. I
Also read letter from Colonial dated 18th August, replying to Ch letter of the 8th idem, and sta Government had addressed Telegraph Companies asking“ Quar-sider the recent sudden increase in tariff,
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