September 10, 1896.]
stopping of this railway or of the death of some foreigners concerned in its construction. For tunately the late eclipse of the sun passed over quietly without any indication of heaven's dis- pleasure at the iron road.-N. C. Daily News correspondent.
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MACAO.
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT).
4th September. About half a century or more ago a fund was established here under the name of "Cofre dos Pobres" (Poor Fund). It prospered greatly, insomuch that the Committee were enabled to buy the whole of the property that formerly belonged to the East India Company. These houses have always yielded a good rent and still do so even at the present time. As its name implies, the fund was created to afford relief to the poor. People in necessitous circumstances and whose cases seemed to deserve assistance received a certificate from their Vicar, which they presented at the Ecclesiastical Office, and when there was a vacancy on the roll they became entitled to one dollar a month. I believe the number of people who thus received relief was about sixty. Now, about two years ago the property from which the income was drawn required repairs, and the Bishop, who is the President, gave orders that the monthly payment to the pensioners should be suspended until the repairs had been paid for. No doubt this was quite right, as in these days money is not easy to get and the repairs could not be otherwise paid for. The outstanding accounts, however, have now all been wiped off, but the pensioners on the fund have not had their income restored to them and are left dependent on public cha- rity. The Bishop, it seems, has given orders that the money, instead of being distributed as formerly, shall all be given to the Italian Con--| vent. This is a great injustice. No doubt the Convent is a deserving institution, but when ever an appeal is made on its behalf the public do all in their power to give the required sup- port, and it does not seem right that the Cofre dos Pobres should be diverted from its original object. The Bishop should understand that the Convent to which he is giving every- thing is a foreign establishment, that it is by permission of the Portuguese and Italian Go- vernments that it has been established here, and that at any time the nuns might be required to leave by order of either Government, The Con- vent therefore is not a national one. The Bi- shop may give to it what he likes from his own funds, but he has no right to divert funds intended for another object. It is ex- tremely hard on the poor people hitherto dependent on the fund that they should be deprived of their monthly dollar, and the Bishop should know that he is not at liberty to do what he likes with money that was entrusted to the hands of his predecessors for the benefit of succeeding generations.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPÓRT.
appears to have adopted the former view and the order has not as yet been published in our Boletim. If it be correct that the order as it stands does not apply to Macao it is to be hoped the Lisbon Government will extend it so as to make it do so, and many wives and children will bless it. Families would then be enabled to live in greater comfort, the shopkeepers would be able to collect their accounts more re-
gularly at the end of the month, and there would be a good deal less misery. There would also be less delay in the discharge of public busi- ness. I could mention one office where heaps of petitions and other documents are lying on the tables and while people are anxiously waiting for the disposal of their affairs nothing is done for months and years, the official responsible sacrificing himself almost entirely to gambling. Mr. Miguel P. Guttierrez died here yesterday morning. He was for many years in the Hong- kong Government Service and on retiring on He leaves a his pension he came to live here. widow and three daughters.
"CANTON NOTES.
There has not been a single, case in the colony since last Saturday
It is notified that the Birt Registration Ordinance is to on the 14th September.
pla
Deaths
into for
The stamp revenue last month was $19,331; being a decease of $240 on the amount collected in the corresponding month of last year.
Two contractors were fined $50 each at the Police Court on the 4th September for dumping rubbish on the reclamation works at West Point.
Staff Captain A. W Miller, formerly Master Attendant in the Hongkong Naval Yard, has been placed on the retired list with the rank of Captain.
Miss McIntosh, the sister who contracted plague while in attendance on the patients the plague hospital, left for home on the 2nd September by the Empress of India on leave.
•
At the Alice Memorial Hospital the number of in-patients treated during the month of August was 55 and the number of out-patient visits 1,517. At the Nethersole Hospital the numbers were 43 and 81 respectively.
On Monday afternoon Mr. J. L. Presser sold by auction nine small lots of Crown land at Taikokteni. The lots fetched $1,310 altogether, this being $490 above the total upset price. The purchasers were Chinese.
FROM THE CHUNG NGOI SẢN PO,” A disastrous fire broke out in Tong-n-lan, Canton, at about 7.30 p.m. on the 3rd instant. When the alarm was given the fire brigades
The Tasmanian pearl diver who stole a £5 from all parts of the city went to render piece and four sovereigns from another Tas- assistance. The fire brigade belonging to Changmanian pearl diver in a barber's shop in Pot- Lan Street, upon seeing that the fire was ad- tinger Street was on Saturday sent to gaol for vancing so alarmingly, tried to convey water by hose along the roofs, but the keepers of brothels, which are very numerous in that dis- trict, thought the men were coming to steal the inmates and at once fired at them, one man being fatally shot and two seriously wounded. The
fire was not subdued until one o'clock next' morning. About seventy houses were burnt to the ground.
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On the 18th ultimo, in Sai-chiu district, the sky was very dark and the wind blew exceedingly hard. The people were greatly alarmed. thinking that the "half-cut-tail dragon" was approaching. They fired at the sky to scare him away. last a brickmaker's shop was blown down by a sudden and strong gale, but very little damage
was done to the other honses.
At
A coal mine and a chalk cliff have just been discovered in Young-shau district. The natives there are going to send an application to the Canton Government to be allowed to open the mine.
The rebellion which broke out some time ago in the prefecture of Chiu-chow has been sup- pressed by the Imperial troops sent from Can- ton. Most of the rebels filed before the arrival of the soldiers. About ten rebels were captured and they were sent to the Prefect of Chiu-chow for trial. The Prefect at once gave orders for their decapitation.
Li Kä-cheak, Captain Superintendent of the Canton police force, has given notice to the boat people that the boats which anchor in the creek in front of Shameen must be registered before the 7th instant and that no charge will be made for registration. The owner of any unregistered boat which is discovered anchoring in the creek will be severely punished.
Owing to the hot weather the Tartar General has suspended the daily drill of his soldiers.
HONGKONG.
O Extremo Oriente of your port, in its issue of the 22nd ultimo, had some remarks about the defective administration of the Ecclesiastical Chamber. What your contemporary said is very true and could hardly have been better expressed. It is quite right that the Bishop should have his attention drawn to, the dis- satisfaction caused by the manner in which his duties are discharged. Eleven years have elapsed since he was appointed Bishop of Macao, and what has he done? Most of his
The rebellion in Manila has caused not a time he has spent at Timor or in trips to little excitement in the colony. The serious- India and Europe, from which we draw the conness of the outbreak is much greater than was clusion that he wishes to take his ease and let at first thought, but owing to the Spanish others work for him. He is almost always authorities exercising censorship over telegrams absent from the most important part of his and the infrequency of the steamer service we diocese. At present he is in Timor, and has have been unable to obtain any details. The been so for nearly a year, and it is said now Redpole is remaining at Manila. The share- that on his return he must make another trip holders in H. G. Brown and Company, Limited, to Europe. That is how the Bishop of Macaohave confirmed the resolution for the winding spends his time.
up of the Company. Another successful action against the Sanitary Board was heard during the week at the Supreme Court. On Friday and Saturday; the Victoria Recreation Club aquatic sports were held and they were very successful. At the distribution of prizes his Excellency the Governor made a very amusing speech.
three months with hard larbour.
The Hon. Secretary of the Hongkong Rifle Association advertises that the Interport Match will probably take place during the last ten days of October and members are requested to get into practice for the event as early as possible.
The steamer Hanoi, which left Haiphong on the 29th August for Hongkong, sustained a breakdown in her machinery shortly after leaving. She anchored to effect repairs and on the 31st put back to Haiphong, arriving the same night
There was a double suicide at Wongneichung on Monday night. A man and his wife were found lying dead on the floor of their house and an opium pot was found at the side of them. Why they resolved to die together is not known. The neighbours say the couple were happy enough.
The Secretary of the Punjom Mining Co., Limited, informs us that he has received advices from Panjom to the effect that the greater portion of the village there has been destroyed by fire. The damage sustained by the Com- pany is slight, the loss not exceeding two hun- dred dollars.
Our Anjer correspondent writes:-On the 17th August the American ship Governor Good- win went on: Princess Reef, Princess Islands, and remains firmly bedded on the rocks. The crew are saved and the captain has proceeded to Batavia to attend to salvage operations. The ship is a total loss.
A woman named Wong Tso was charged at the Magistracy on the 2nd September with kidnapping. To Ho Si, who is the wife of an assistant magistrate at Canton. The prisoner was committed to prison for fifteen days, pend- ing the decision of the Governor on an application for her deportation.
At the Magistracy on the 2nd September be- fore Hon. Commander Hastings, seven Chinese lodging house keepers were summoned by, Sani- tary Inspector L. E. Brett for failing to register their premises.. In six of the cases his Wor- ship fined the defaulters $25, whilst in the seventh a penalty of $50 was imposed.
The Secretary of the Punjom Mining Co Limited, advises us that he has received, the following cable from Punjom, giving the result!!
The mill ran 28 days, of the August olean up :- crushing 1,100 tons, yielding. 384 ozs, fifty tons of concentrates calcined yielding The cyanide clean up is not yet finished.?!
Three Chinamen were summor Magistracy on the 2nd Septem McCallum, Secretary to the for failing to comply with a nuisance by having the their dwellings. Hon Commander Hastings, impos
One of the worst of vices is gambling and unfortunately for this our small colony is famous.” In the Lisbon Government Gazette of the 10th July an order was notified prohibiting gambling on the part of Government servants. This is an excellent measure, but there is a division of opinion as to whether it applies to Macao or not, some saying that it|· *There were 2,174 visitors to the City Hall is meant only for Africa. The Government Museum last week, of whom 220 were Europeans, $25 in each case.
A
oncreted