Desember 23 18961
placed
this dimoult Sanitary Board ernment control espatch No.163 ave thought it you in possession of the views as well as my own, so that you may be in a position to consider both sides of the question before conveying to me your final decision in the matter. I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
WILLIAM ROBINSON,
Governor.
The Right Honourable Joseph Chamberlain, M.P Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies. &o., &c., &e.. No. 163 of the 18th May, 1895.
No. 337 of the 2nd December; 1893.`
{Telegram)
THE GOVERNOR TO THE SECRETARY OF
→ STATE.
~ Hongkong, 27th October, 1896, Referring to my despatch No. 150 of 30th June, when may reply be expected P
Secretary of State for Colonies.
| Telegram.)
GOVE? NOE.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE GOVERNOR.
靠
London, 6th November, 1896.- Referring to your telegram of 27th October, despatch following by Mail.
SECRETARY OF STATE for COLONIES. Governor, Hongkong.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE GOVERNOR.
Downing Street,
6th November, 1896. Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 150 of the 30th of June last and of your telegram of the 27th ultimo on the subject of the Sanitary Board.
2I understand the Board, as at present constituted, to be working well, and I consider that the question of its future constitution may well stand over to be dealt with, if ncessary, Lereafter by your successor, who will be in a position to approach it de novo with the advant age of the information which has already been gained on the subject:
8. I have come to this conclusion in part because I think that on reflection, you must concur with me that in taking a plebiscite of the British community exclusive of the members of the Government services the situation has been much complicated, I have every reason to assume that the British merchants and re- sidents in Hongkong have the same good sense nd public spirit as their countrymen elsewhere, but it is impossible that Hongkong
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
DAKIN
ND CO.
MITED
An extrac ary general meeting of Dakin, Cruickshank & Co., Limited, was held on the 17th December, at noon, at the Hongkong Hotel. Mr J Andrew presided and there were also present Messrs. A Bain (Director), W. Hay (Manager); F- Maitland, Dr. Noble, G. H. Potts, WG. Humphries, H. L. Dennys, A. G. Stokes, F. A. Gomes, C. L. Gorham, A. Coutts, R. A. Gubbay, M. S. Sassoon, and Fung A Chat.
over
|
|
111 8 10W
The
to advise us as
I w
Mr. MAITLAND proposition in al state I have in my for the Company, wh a private meeting elareholders in re Mr DENNYS8 consulting_with_ beg to propose, in which appeared in the Company be wound up
499
the fobli
adder
danci
eek, that the
put that on
The CHAIRMAN_Would”
paper, Mr. Maitland P
*
Mr MAITLAND wrote out the addition "and that a liquidato to wind it up."
[app
The CHAIRMAN-Does that, belong to the business of the meeting just now? |
Mr. DENNYS-It is a question whether advisable to do it. It may be done it is- of the winding up business.
Mr. F. A. GOMES seconded the motion: Carried.
Dr. NOBLE-I propose that Mr. Maitland be appointed liquidator for the purpose of winding ap the Company and that the fee of the liqui- dator be $500 for services rendered!
Mr. STOKES seconded. Carried,
The CHAIRMAN-Now, I do not think there is anything more to be done.
Mr. MAITLAND I would like to get the feel- ing of the shareholders with regard to certain matters, and I think it would be well to lavo the meeting in private.
The shareholders then held a private meeting.
The CHAIRMAN-This meeting has been called at the requisition of ten shareholders, representing one fifth of the Company's capital, to wind up the Company in a mutual way, and I suppose we shall be able to appoint a liquidator." I shall be glad to bear a proposal for the winding up and to put it to the meeting. Mr. F. MAITLAND-Mr. Chairman, we were all much surprised at the disastrous results, as shown in the last report issued for 1895, in which account, besides the loss on the year's working, the following uns, most of which should have appeared in previous accounts, were written off. viz..—$6,311.76, differences in accounts receivable in Hongkong and Amoy; $6,490.98, differences in sterling drafts; $9,891.74, differences in stock, 1894; $10,101.21, bad debts written off Hongkong debtors.
seems to Nothing whatever
have been written off the plant, machinery, furniture, and steam launch, and these are no doubt in the books at considerably
the actual value. It is a great pity that share- holders should have been kept in the dark with regard to the true state of the affairs of the Company, during the past year or two, by what in the figures laid before you at the last I think you will consider are inaccuracies
of $1,186.95, whereas there really existed a meeting. The 1894 account showed a profit
large debt balance, and had the shareholders not been blinded by the manner in which the figures were laid before them, they would un- doubtedly have taken steps there and then to look closely into matters with a view either to alter the working of the concern so as to arrest further loss or to consider the question of liquidation. Now, gentlemen, I wish to state that I became personally connected with the Company as Mr. Dakin's attorney in March last, and since then I have been in constant com- munication with him, both on his behalf and on account of a large body of shareholders in Eng- land. It was a great surprise to me when I heard that the books of the Company did not back of the goal at the east end of the ground represent the true state of the business. I im- running alongside the nullah, which had been mediately wrote the directors complaining of the destroyed in the typhoon of 29th July last, at long delay in issuing the account, and request the expense of the Club, and also to repair, the ing them to lose no time in having a true state-existing matshed. The re-erection of the fence ment issued. As representing a large number of would cost $35, and the repair of the matshed shareholders, I have been afforded opportunities $45. These sums were unanimously voted, und by the directors of looking closely into the the work was to be commenced at once figures and working of the Company, with the Friday in each month should be set aside for It was proposed and carried that the first result that I am convinced the only way to save anything for the shareholders is to sell the Company as a going concern. If it is brought to the hammer, as I have every reason
•
ther than a Crown Colony; it is inco FSueditors are satisfied, the shareholders can
with Crown Colony government to seek the guidance of a plebiscite, and in no community whatever, whether Crown Colony or not, can a actory solution of a question, in which the of the ratepayers and many outside are int sted, be induced from an sion of the opinions of one section alone. In the pr
n held.
but
instance, the plebiscite have found yourself con- course opposed to that for ery large majority of the votes were
to believe would be the case, unless the local
expect to get little or nothing. The reasons for my coming to this conclusion are- first and most important the Company is at present working at a loss, the turn over of a little over $8,000 per month not being sufficient to meet the curent ex- penses of over $2,600 per month. Secondly, the Company is financially at a very low ebb, and they have had to buy articles locally instead of getting them direct from home, thereby losing part of the profit. Thirdly, the sale of sweet waters, such as ginger ale, lemonade, etc., is large, but not so the soda water, while the for existing circumstances, then, profit on the former is small as compared with g-any final decision, that on the latter. Fourthly, the harbour busi. ar or so it why be moreness forms a large proportion of the trade of the re the honour to be, of at a trifle over cost price in order to secure he hoone Company, but one item sold, viz., beer, is disposed bedient humble servant,
the sale of drugs, etc., and the loss through bad- CHAMBERLAI
debts on this part of the trade is by no means infinitesimal. I have therefore to propose that the Company be wound up, ganap ang mga pahalles
The CHAIRMAN We have done nothing in win regard to this resolution until instructed by
Mr. Dennys,~-
Freal want, and how
Robinson, KCMGT
of the Times,
HONGKONG POLO CLUB.
A general meeting of the members was held in the Polo, matshed, Causeway Bay at 5.30 p.m. on Friday last, the Hon. T. H. Whitehead being in the chair. There were prezent. Hon. F. H. May, Surgeon-Captain Edye, A.M.S., Captain Burney, R.A., Mr. Luzzard, R.A., Captain Loveband, A.D.C., Captain Lusk, and Messrs. King and Gordon, West Yorkshire Regiment.
The accounts were submitted to the meeting, showing a balance in hand. on 30th November, 1896, of $142.87.
It was decided to re-erect the fence at the
match for Mr. May's cup. As the first Friday of January, would fall on New Year's day, when some members hoped to be aray for a short holiday, Friday, the 8th January, was settled on as the first match day.
The following officers were elected for... the ensuing year-Committee. Hon TH.. Whitehead, Hon. F. H. May Captain Burney, RA, Mr. Wood, West Yorkshire Regiment. Hon. Sec. Captain F. R. Lovehand, A.D.C. ́*
ROYAL HONGKONG YACHT CLUB.
RACES FOR COMMODORE SECUPS. The Commodore of the Club, May, C.M.G, has presented tw season, one for each clɛes, and, the are the best of three short races to Saturday afternoons when there is the succeeding Sunday, the boals bei capped for each race
The first races of the feri Saturday The start for the 2 pm and for the recond The course was from the Police teni,iround mark of Tsal Dock buoy mar bat off pier
port Both Tsat-sze-mui,- the same cour
tions