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HONGKONG.
The New Year festivities are now over and residents have once more settled down to the ordinary affairs of life. The occupation of Hainan by the French is not yet true, as far as can be ascertained. On New Year's day the Taikoo Club held, an athletic meeting at Quarry Bay and there was quite a large attendance of holiday makers. H.M.S. Powerful arrived on Monday afternoon and will doubtless go North in a few days. A batch of rebel chiefs from the Philippines recently arrived in the colony, being brought here in the Spanish steamer Uranus. They have received a comfortable annuity on promising not to go to any Spanish colony and they have made themselves quite at home since nestling under the British flag.
Four men were caught gambling in a house in West Street and at the Magistracy on 3rd January one was fined $100 and the others $10
each.
For stealing a tin of condensed milk from No. 1 Kowloon Godowns a Chinaman was on 30th Dec. sentenced to six weeks' imprison. ment with hard labour.
Thomas Graham, master of the American lorcha Lil, was fined $10 at the Police Court on 3rd January for carrying kerosine oil on the uncovered deck of the boat while moving in the
harbour.
A football match was played on Saturday at the Happy Valley between Jubilee Cricket and Football Club and the Independent Cricket and Football Club. The former won by three goals
to one.
The Hon. Treasurer of the Alice Memorial and Nethersole Hospitals begs to acknowledge with thanks the following donation to the funds of the Hospitals:-
$300
Nam Pak Hong Guild Admiral Sir Nowel Salmon and Lady Salmon, who arrived from Japen by the Empress of China, left by the Prinz Heinrich on the 4th Jan. for Europe. Admiral and Lady Salmon are making a round--he-world tour.
The Local Secretary informs us that Miss S. Mehta, A.A., of Victoria English Schools, Senior Candidate at the Oxford Local Examina-
tions last July, was placed in the list "Dis tinguished" for Religious Knowledge,
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The honour of kinghthood conferred on Mr. Justice Ackroyd has been well deserved by a long and honourable career, and the community of Hongkong will be glad to congratulate him upon it. Sir E. J. Ackroyd retired several years
ago.
We hear that Mr. A. R. Marty has bought four steamers, including the Cass, Smith, and Fokien, which were concerned in the Bennertz case. Mr. Marty went to Shanghai several days ago in order to personally conduct the negotiations.
It is notified in the Gazette that H.E. the Governor has been pleased to recognise Mr. J. Grant Smith as in temporary charge of the Pernvian Consulate-General during the absence from the colony of Mr. Felipe S. Mesa, or until further notice.
At the Magistracy on 29th Dec. a man was fined $25 for keeping open an opium smoking divan at No. 166, Hollywood Road, without a license and having in his possession two taels and foar mace of opium dross without the knowledge and consent of the Dross Farmer,
It is notified in the Gazette that a despatch has been received from the Secretary of State disallowing the Ordinance to amend the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions (Amendment) Ordinance. The object of the disallowed Ordinance was to make officers occupying free quarters contribute to the fund in respect of the estimated value of such free quarters.
The Royal Engineers gave a most enjoyable quadrille party in the R.E. theatre at Welling ton Barracks on Tuesday evening, 28th Dec. The room was decorated with evergreens, flags, and lamps, and the dancers had a very merry time until the early morning. The arrange- ments were in the hands of Sergeant Press, who was most energetic in the performance of his
duties.
'The Magistrate made some strong remarks on 3rd Jau. in the case in which a woman was charged ou remand with gross cruelty to a child. His Worship, after complimenting a hawker who gave information to the police, said he considered the case a most abominable one, as the prisoner had treated the child in a most shocking way. The child, which was miserably wretched, had been purchased by the prisoner, who apparently.thought she could do
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[January 5, 1898. At 4.45 p.m. on the 28th instant a watchman on the steamer Powan saw a man going on One of the As the man board carrying two baskets. baskets contained a tin of oil. was always travelling up and down by the steamer, the watchman had his suspicions aroused, and upon opening the tin of oil found ·
The wooden four revolvers at the bottom. handles had been removed and were found on
At the Magistracy yester the man's person. day Hon. H. E. Wodehouse sentenced the prisoner to three months' imprisonment with hard labour. The prisoner was willing to pay a fine, but it was refused.
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On Saturday afternoon, 1st Jan., the Jelunga left Hongkong with the West Yorkshire Regi- ment for Singapore and details for England, The men embarked at Kowloon wharf to the strains of the band of the Hongkong Regiment, and just
"Auld lang syne
was played prior to leaving and hundreds of good wishes for the Regiment were expressed by the numerous friends of the officers and men. Amongst these who left, in addition to the Regiment, were Lieut.-Col. F. N. Clarke, Army Ordnance Department; Surgeon Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston, Mrs.
Greene and C. N. Buzzard; Mrs. Welman Johnston, and child; Lieutenants A. J. R. and child; and Lieut. and Qr.-Mr. R. Adams,
A.M.S.
The Hongkong Volunteer Corps engaged in gun practice at Deep Water Bay on New Year's Day. Hended by the drum and fife band both units marched from headquarters in the morning and embarked on a launch at Murray Pier. At Deep Water Bay the guns were dismounted and taken ashore in boats and after tiffin firing
commenced from the hillside, to which place the guns were carried. This in itself was er. cellent practice, as the ground was steep and rough. The firing of the 7 prs. and the Maxims was very effective, all the targets being well drilled with shot. In preparing for the return journey one of the guns fell into the water as it was being hauled from a boat into the launch, but the gun was subsequently recovered and taken to headquarters. The day was beautifully fine and the men spent a most profitable and enjoyable time.
At the Police Court on 29th Dec., before Hon. H. E. Wodehouse, Francis de Souza, of Govern-
John Gordon, a private in the King's Own what she liked with her, but under British rule- ment Villas East, summoned F. A. Pearson, of
Lancaster Regiment, was charged at the Police Court on 3rd January with being drunk and dis- orderly and damaging Government property: The defendant smashed a police notice board at Yaumati and he was ordered to pay $1 amends and a fine of $1.
at any rate a woman
could not behave so
abominably towards a child as the prisoner had done. He had very much pleasure in sending her to gaol for six months with hard
labour.
On the arrival of the Chinese-owned river steamer Saikong at Canton from Hongkong on the 29th December two men who had been
Government Villas West, for assault. The complainant is a watchman in the employ of the Sanitary Board and the defendant is an overseer in the Public Works Department. According to the plaintiff's version he lent the defendant some candles and oil on Boxing Day and defendant then invited him to his house. The invitation was accepted and during the
There was a crop of accidents in the harbour on Wednesday, 29th Dec., the result being that Sone life was lost. The first accident occurred early found on board with a quantity of arms and evening the defendant, who had been drinking,
In the morning, when the tugboat Tow collided with a boat, the occupants of which were for- Late in the afternoon the tunately rescued,
The Rising Star second accident occurred. ferry launch ran into a sampan and the occu- pants, a man, his wife, and five children, were thrown into the water, One of the children, a baby twelve months' old, was drowned. The
ammunition in their possession were handed over to the Chinese authorities. The Macao paper O Independente publishes rather an alarming paragraph in reference to the occurrence, in which it is represented that a piratical plot against the steamer was discovered and frust- rated, but according to the agents it was a simple case of smuggling. Having regard,
said he would like to hang up all the coloured people on the highest trees in Hongkong. The complainant told him not to use insulting words and then defendant struck him a violent In answer to Mr. Master, who appeared for the defendant, the complain. ant denied using any vulgar expression or saying that he would fight any Portuguese in
blow on the nose.
screw of the steamer Siam struck a coal boat, however, to the state of affairs on the river and the colony. Mr. Master said the assault was
which was sunk without loss of life.
At the Magistracy on 30th Dec., before Hon. H. E. Wodehonse, Lo Nam, a building con- tractor, of Stanton Street, charged his con- The onbine and her mother with robbing him. complainant went to the theatre on the 21st inst, and on his return found that a box containing $1,000 and jewellery of the value of about $300 had been stolen from his bedroom. Inquiries by the police proved the complicity of the two women, who were arrested and nearly the whole of the property was recovered. The prisoners pleaded guilty and were sent to gaol for six months with hard labour.
meu
the numerous cases of piracy on native craft, close vigilance on the river steamers is import ant. Smugglers of arms would no doubt readily turn pirates if a favourable opportunity offered.
The New Year was ushered in at the Kowloon Docks amidst an atmosphere of rollicking gaiety. The employès of the Dock Company gave their annual dance on New Year's Eve and when mid-night came great cheering and jovial enthusiasm greeted 1898, everyone of the large company present exchanging congratula tions and wishing all every prosperity during the year. The dancing rooms and the other rooms were all handsomely decorated and
Brass fittings to the value of $1,300 were stolen from the Cosmopolitan Dock on Wednes-dancing was carried on until an early hour of the morning, Mr. Rutter throughout acting as day night, 29th December, and later a0 Indian
arrested two
who M.C. At supper, which was most excellently constable could not give a satisfactory account of served, Mr. David Gillies referred to the great reported to services the employès had rendered to the Com, themselves. The robbery was Inspector Butlin, who found that one of the pany and remarked that the prosperity of the men was an apprentice in the employ of the Company was due to the high standard of Dock Company. When the men were taken efficiency and intelligence which had always Lefore the Magistrate yesterday the Inspector been displayed by the employès. Mr.W. Stewart, asked for a remand for a week in order to as-secretary of the Committee, and Mr. Cooke, certain if they had had a hand in the theft. assistant manager, also spoke and the singing The application was granted. Property to the of Auld Lang Syne" concluded an immensely value of $1,170 has been recovered by the Police. ' enjoyable entertainment.
committed because complainant used very bad language in the presence of defendant's wife and children. The Magistrate adjourned the case until the 31st and advised the parties to settle the affair ont of court. On the 31st His Worship dismissed the case.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Chefoo, on the voyage from Swatoy to The Newchwang, on the Shanghai, off Dodd Island took six men off the wreck of a junk. same voyage, also saved three ship-wrecked junkmen.
A nasty accident happened at the Yokohama pier on Tuesday afternoon (21st Dec.), says the Japan Mail, whereby Captain Pollock, of the P. and O. intermediate steamer Malacca, re- ceived serious injury. He was engaged watch ing from the pier the discharge of some iron rails when a sling broke and the loose steel wire end swung round catching Captain Pol- so severe that the Commander fell down un. lock on the thigh. The force of the blow was conscious. He was picked up and conveyed to the General Hospital where he still remains. Kobe in charge of the chief officer. The Malacca proceeded from Yokohama to
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