July 1, 1897.]
it is presumed she foundered shortly after the departure of the Valetta. The ship, which Captain Wickenden believes was originally a Dutch mail steamer, was damaged by a collision in Aden Harbour, and afterwards sold to Bombay native owners.
THE COST OF ADMINISŪRATION.
In reply to a question by the Hon. T. H. Whitehead at the meeting of the Legislative Council held on 28th June tabulated statements were laid on the table shewing the cost of admini. stration of the colony during 1895 and 1896. The difference in salaries is shown as follows:- Salaries. Increase. Decrease. Department. 1995.
1896. Governor and ន
$
$ Legislature 38,875.92 37,581.01
Colonial Se-
cretary
29,092.33 24,556.61
Audit
Taeasury
4,883.98 6,522.48 1,038.50 25,380.70 22,740.32
Public Works 77,643.99 78,979.03 1,335.94 Post Office... 28,563.54 39,910.15 11,348.61 Registrar
General ...
15,776.08 12,701.29 Habour Master 49,836.29 47,499.11 Lighthouses.. 10,236.27 10,030.20
***
Observatory.. 10,438.39 10,195.22
58.83
Stamp Office.
3,441.13
3,312.00
Botanical and
Legal
Afforestation. 8,672.83 8,763.90 91.07
Ecclesiastical.
73,733.51 75,697.49 1,063.98
Education 29,308.48 44,320.84 15,012.36 Medical
46,877.95 51,828.78 4,950.83
Magistracy... 20,101.95 21,409.34 1,307.39 157,265.91 159,341.12 2,075.21
Police
Gaola
35,156.59 35,185.40 Fire Brigade 13,531.27 11,958.00 Sanitary...... 38,058.62 38,052.16
28.81
1,294.91
4,535.72
2,846.38
3,074.79 2,357.18
256.01
129.13
1,578.26
0.47
$716,951.73 740,885.41 39,807.53 15,873.85
Personal allowances amounted to $5,732 in 1896 as against $7,164 in 1895. The following table shows the total cost of administration in both years:
Personal Emoluments Exchange Compensation Other Charges.... Pensions
1895.
1890. $724,115.73 $746.617.41 119,408.85 70,369.90 409,880.06 456,633.85 112,776:97 118,054.71
$1,366,181.61 1,391,675.87
THE OBSTRUCTION OF STREETS.
The following is the additional by-law made under Section 13 of Ordinance 15 of 1894, and laid on the table at the meeting of the Legisla-
tive Council on 28th Jane -
No street over land held under lease from the Crown, upon which any domestic buildings abut, shall without the permission in writing of the Sanitary Board, be obstructed by the erec- tion or fixture at any elevation of any structure or object of any kind whatsoever, whether tem- porary or permanent, which may, in the opinion of the Medical Officer of Health or such other officer as may be appointed for that purpose by the Sanitary Board, prejudicially affect the health of any of the inmates of any of such buildings, or if such street be already partially so obstructed it shall not be further so ob- struoted, without such permission in writing.
Provided always that in the event of such permission being refused by the said Board the owner of any such street shall have the right of appeal to a Magistrate, who shall take evidence on oath thereon and who, if satisfied that the proposed obstruction will not prejudicially affect the health of any of the inmates of such build- ing, may grant permission to erect such obstruc-
tion.
Any person who shall contravene this by-law shall on conviction thereof be liable to a penalty not exceeding $25 for each contravention.
At 9.30 on Saturday night a criminal case, which commenced on Thursday morning, ended at the Supreme Court before the Chief Justice and a jury. The charge was one of assault against three Sikh artillerymen stationed at Lyemoon, the prosecutor being one of their comrades. The evidence showed the assault to have been one of the most atrocious character. The end was that one man was sent to gaol for three years and the other two for two years and six months,
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE FIRE BRIGADE REPORT.
The following report of the Superintendent of Fire Brigade for 1896 was laid before the Legislative Council on 28th June:-
Fire Brigade Department,
Hongkong, 5th February, 1897. Sir,-I have the honour to submit the follow. ing report on the Government Fire Brigade | for the year 1896.
2.-Commander Hastings was in charge of the brigade up to the 2nd April, Mr. Leth- bridge had charge from that date until the 7th of October, when I returned off leave of absence. 3.-There occurred 30 fires-two of which were in the harbour-and 54 incipient fires during the year. Details regarding each will be found in the annexed schedules. The estimated damage caused by the fires was $105,595 and by the incipient fires $1,586.
I also attach a list shewing the number of fires that have occurred during each of the last ten years with the estimated value of property destroyed in each case.
4.-There has been a marked diminution in the number of fires occurring on land since the third week in April last. Up to the 22nd April there were 14 fires and since that date there have been an equal number.
This is no doubt due to the action taken by the Fire Insurance Companies in instituting a tariff which came into force in April, and increasing the rates of premium; while the conviction for arson at the May Sessions of two Chinese partners in the Shop No. 48, Praya West, and the heavy sentence of twelve years hard labour passed upon each, have evidently had a salutary effect in deterring others from incendiarism.
5. During three months of the year, from January to March, the water in the mains was turned off from 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. daily, except
on an alarm of fire when it was turned on and used only till salt water was obtained.
6.-A list of places where Fire Despatch Boxes are kept, and of private telephones to which the Police have courteous been granted access in the event of a fire, together with Mr. Kinghorn's report on the state of the engines, are attached.
7.-With regard to the working of the Brigade of which I have now had four months' experience, I consider that while the personnel -especially the European portion of it is good the organisation is capable of improvement.
17
ment Brigade, it is frequently the first to arrive at a fire.
I consider that the usefulness of this Brigade would be much increased if it were placed under European supervision, and I have offered to lend the Nam Pak Hong the services of two thoroughly competent European foremen, who speak Chinese, whose duty it would be to take charge of their Brigade at a fire and direct its operations.
I have as yet made little progress in my negotiations for this desirable innovation, but I am not without hopes that in the course of time I shall attain my object. I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
F. H. MAT,
The
Superintendent of Fire Brigade. Honourable J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Colonial Secretary.
DIAMOND JUBILEE SUBSCRIP- TIONS.
The Hon. Treasurer begs to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of the following con. tributions, viz. :-
...
Already acknowledged Capt. Jackson, steamer Loosok E. W. Crombie
M. Cortes...
J. M. Basa H. W. Bird G. W. M.... Capt. Duhme E. Lalla J. R. Capell F. Morx
R. A. Curreen C. Perkins ... O. Wagner E. Khimjeebhoy E. Ebrahimbhoy A. Hassumbhoy
M. N. Vandrawalla
K. J. Shellim
J. A. Ozorio M. E. Asgar Leong Fai Nanı Chop Dollar Mario Woo Pui Wong Wing A, C....
..$57,336.84
15
10
10
10
10
1
$57,425.84
The Hon. Treasurer has received from Mr.
$1,000
The very small number of men available for duty at the first ontbreak of a fire, and the want of the means of conveying rapidly to the scene Fang Wah Chuen the following list of Chinese of a fire the necessary appliances for extinguish-subscriptions. Further subscriptions will be ing it, are the principal defects that I wish to acknowledged in the course of a few days:
Chan Tung Shang remedy. Street coolies are relied on to drag the engines and appliances at the Contral Fire
Shing Wo Co. Station to a fire, and it depends almost entirely Lai Hing on the alacrity of these in offering themselves Man Fook Co.
Yan Woo Co. for hire whether the appliances will reach the
Choy Chan... fire in good time or otherwise.
Ho Ngok Lai
While should the fire occur at a distance from the Central Fire Station-at East or West Point for instance-it is, of course, obvious that
an enormous amount of valuable time must be lost owing to the slowness with which the ap- pliances must under such a system travel.
8.-The remedy for these defects is to increase the permanent staff of the Brigade, and to en- large the Central Fire Station to make room for such increased staff, and for more firemen who are also members of the Police Force.
I have already reported on how these improve- ments could be effected, and my proposals have received the approval of His Excellency the
Governor,
9. Unfortunately, the enlargement of the Central Fire Station to enable the concentra- tion I have recommended, and the provision
motive power for the heavy gear, involves the expenditure of a large sum of money; but I trust that it may nevertheless be found possible to carry out these improvements at no very distant date.
10.-I have to acknowledge the very valuable assistance rendered in the extinction of fires during the year by the Private Fire Brigades belonging to the Nam Pak Hong and Silk Mercers.
The former is especially smart in turning out, and being nearer to the area within which the majority of fires occur than the Govern-
1,000 ... 1,000
1,000
500
500
500
Yeung Tai Loy
500
Man On Insurance Co. On Tai Insurance Co. Po On Insurance Co.
500
500
500
Chai On Insurance Co.
500
Fruit and Vegetable Guild
500
Yuen Fat Hong
400
Hop Hing Hong
400
Fresh Water Fish Guild...
400
"Hongkong & Shanghai Banking
Corporation's Compradore
Hồ Tùng
300
Pork Guild.......
300
Salt Water Fish Guild
300
Kwong Mow Tai
-250
225
·200
200
200
200
China Merchants' S. N. Co.
200
Chuen On Insurance Co....
200
Cheong Sum Woo
200
200
Kwong Cheong Tai..
150
150
150
150
150
150
Kin Tai Loong ...
Yeong Nai On Kam Fung Ya
Mok Shun Fai Tong.. Chang King
Yee On
Joo Tek Seng Meng Yu Tai Wai A Yuk... Lo Kwoon Ting Fung Wa Chun",