888
J
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
that his clients ought to get the costs of the motion to vary the Registrar's report. He did so upon the ground that they had obtained a material variation of that report and upon a very important point. · !.
The point was argued, but his lordship could not see his way to adopt Mr. Pollock's sugges tion.
OF COMMERCE.
palliation of Yu's offence. In their opinion the course pursued was natural, though very inconvenient to them, on account of the pressure from the foreign Ministers. Had the rebels been protesting against the imposition of some specially burdensome tax they would probably have received scant consideration at the hands of the Viceroy, and had he, owing to the formidable nature | HONgkong GENERAL CHAMBER of the rising, found it convenient to promise clemency, this pledge would have been readily broken, on the plea that no faith need At the monthly meeting of the General Committee of the Hongkong General Chamber be kept with a rebel. YU MAN-TZE's action, of Commerce, held at 3.45 p.m. on Tuesday, the however, probably had the secret approval 1st November,-Present Messrs. R. M. Gray, of the provincial authorities, and he was (Chairman), Herbert Smith (Vice-Chairman), perfectly safe in treating with the auth-A. Haupt. J. J. Bell-Irving, T. Jackson, A. orities. And these are the officials that McConachie, N. A. Seibs, and R. C. Wilcox some persons think should be treated as (Secretary),— civilised and on equal terms with those of Western countries 1
POLITICAL CRISIS IN KOREA. [SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE "DAILY PRESS."]
Shanghai, 6th November.
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting (held on the 11th) Oct. were read and confirmed.
THE WORKING OF THE POST OFFICE.
Read reply of the Acting Colonial Secretary, dated 21st October, to the Chamber's letter of the 13th idem forwarding copies of the com- There is a political crisis at the Korean capi-Co. and Gibb, Livingston & Co. of correspon- plaints made by Messrs. Cowasjes, Pallanjee & tal, Seoul. Nineteen of the leading members of the Independence Club have been arrested. dence being lost. Copy of a report by the Post- master-General_was appended, and the reply The President escaped.
stated that H. E. the Acting Governor would be glad to appoint three members of the Cham- ber to conduct the suggested inquiry into the working of the Post Office if, after perusal of the above named report, such a course was con- sidered desirable.
An uprising is dreaded.
SUPREME COURT.
4th November.
IN ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION.
A further letter from the Government in continuation of the correspondence, and enclos- ing copies of letters illustrating one of the
BEFORE SIR JOHN CARRINGTON (CHIEF Postmaster's contentions, was read. Also a let-
÷
JUSTICE.)
11
THE KWANGLEE POWAN COLLISION,
Mr. Francis, QC. (instructed by Mr. H. L. Dennys) appeared for the owners of the Kwang. lee (the China Merchants' Stean Navigation Company, Limited) and Mr. Pollock (instructed by Mr. Hastings) for the owners of the Powan. On the 23rd July the Chief Justice and the Paisne Judge gave judgment in an appeal from a judgment given by the Chief Justice on the 5th May in a case in which the owners of the Kwanglee brought an action against the owners of the Powan, claiming damages on account of a collision between the two vessels. Defendants, on the other hand,, brought an action against plaintiffs, claiming damages in respect of the same collision. Each side re- covered a moiety of their damages, each side
to bear their own costs. This decision was appealed against by the owners of the Kwanglee, but the appeal was dismissed with costs.
An enquiry was held for the purpose of assessing the damages sustained by each side. The owners of the Powan took exception to several of the items allotted to them by the Registrar to pay to the owners of the Kwanglee, including $12,765 for demurrage and $285 for coal consumed while the vessel was undergoing repairs, and brought a motion to vary the
Registrar's report.
His Lordship dealt at some length with the points raised. He held that defendants had succeeded substantially with regard to part of their contentions and had failed substantially in regard to the other part. He declined to reduce a demurrage claim by the Kwang- les from $12,765 to $8,149, and maintained the $285 for coal consumed during a period of twenty-five days, ought to be reduced to $181.74 on the ground that the Kwanglee was undergo. ing repairs which were necessary to enable her to obtain her passenger certificate. He disal- lowed the items $124, $5,700 and $960 which were found by the Registrar in his report, "subject to the further order of this honourable Court" to be due to the Kwanglee for damages and loss of earnings of the wharf. His Lord. ship held that the Admiralty rule in regard to collision as to half-damages did not apply, and that the owners of the wharf were guilty of contributory negligence. He thought the right course was to make each party bear his own costs.
Mr. Pollock said that upon the question of costs he would respectfully submit to the court
ter from Messrs, Reiss & Co. giving two further illustrations of Postal shortcomings. (Others have since been received).
It was decided to write in reply to the offer of His Excellency to appoint a Committee of inquiry from members of the Chamber that, while appreciating the attention, the Committee were of opinion that it was outside the province of the Chamber to undertake such a duty, which could be better dealt with by the Govern-
ment.
PROPOSED WESTERN HARBOUR OF REFUGE.
Read letter from Government, dated 22nd Oct., acknowledging receipt of the Chamber's letter of the 15th September forwarding & suggestion of Mr. R. K. Leigh, C.E., for the construction of a harbour of refuge for small craft at Belcher's Bay and recommending same to the careful consideration of the Government.
[November 12, 1898.
of Norfolk on the result of the Conference on Postage within the British Empire, together with a report from the local Postmaster-Gen- eral on the proposal to extend the principle of Penny Postage to Hongkong. Mr. Thomson estimates that its adoption will entail a loss of from $20,000 to $30,000 to the revenue and that if the contemplated reduction in parcel postage be made it will involve a further loss of some | $4,000 per annum. The opinion of the Cham- ber on the question was therefore requested by H.E. the Acting Governor.
It was/resolved to reply to the effect that it seemed to the Committee the action of the Secretary of State in announcing that he had agreed to the penny rate for Hongkong had rendered it a foregone conclusion; but, if they
were mistaken in this view, the Postmaster. General was best qualified to give an opinion, and that the remarks in his memorandum & appeared to supply the imformation desired.
RESIGNATION FROM THE committee. The Vice-Chairman said—As I am leaving the colony on the 12th instant for home, I beg to tender my resignation from the Committee. I may perhaps be permitted to say and I have been connected with the Committee for a good many years-that, in my opinion, owing mainly (~ to careful, good work and studied, moderation in the treatment of matters coming within its scope and in the expression of its views, the Chamber is stronger now than it ever was before, and its advocacy carries considerable weight. I wish it continuing success.
The resignation was accepted, the Chair- man expressing the regret of the Committee at losing Mr. Smith's valuable services and cordi. ally wishing him a pleasant voyage and an agreeable time in England.
(Correspondence.)
THE POST OFFICE.
Colonial Secretary's Office. Hongkong, 21st October, 1898. Sir, In reply to your letter of the 13th in- stant, inviting attention to the working of the General Post Office and urging the insitution of an immediate and most searching inquiry into the entire working of that Department, I am directed to transmit a copy of report by the Postmaster-General, and to state that the Of fices Administering the Government will be glad to appoint 3 members of, and nominated by the Chamber of Commerce, to conduct the sug- gested enquiry, if, after perusal of Mr. Thom son's report, such a course is considered desir able.-I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,
T. SERCOMBE Smith, Acting Colonial Secretary.
kong General Chamber of Commerce.
The reply stated the Government had given R. Chatterton Wilcox, Esq., Secretary, Hong- the matter careful consideration, but before coming to a decision desired information on various points, the chief being how the cost was to be met, and whether the shipping com- munity would consent to the imposition of harbour or other dues for the purpose.
Decided to reply (after reference to Mr. Leigh on one point), stating that the Chamber is of opinion that this necessary work should be paid for out of the general revenue of the Colony, and they strongly deprecated any retrograde movement which threatened renewed interference with the freedom of the port.
THE SINGAPORE CHAMBER AND LORD CHARLES BERESFORD.
A letter had been received from the Singapore Chamber of Commerce, dated 9th October, forwarding copy of resolutions which had on that date been sent by that body to Lord Charles Beresford. In the letter the Singapore Committee expressed the feeling that the Cham- bers of Hongkong and Shanghai were neces- sarily in a better position to form a more competent judgment upon the subject matter of the despatch.
A reply acknowledging receipt of above was despatched on the 25th Oct.
A long discussion on the object of Lord Charles Beresford's mission and in reference to the supply of certain information desired by his Lordship ensued, and it was decided to furnish all the information obtainable.
IMPERIAL PENNY POSTAGE.
f
Read despatch from the Government, dated 28th October, transmitting a circular from the Secretary of State covering report of the Duke
REPORT BY THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL..
Hon. Acting Colonial Secretary,
This correspondence resolves itself into two- complaints re lost correspondence and a demand for a Commission of Enquiry,
As regards the first complaint by an Indian firm, I may state that everything points to the conclusion that their letters were abstracted between the time of posting and obliterating the stamp
+
At the time their solicitor called upon mojI, explained to him that such was most probably the case and, if I recollect rightly, I also in- formed him that we had taken ample precaution against such stealing in future.
As regards the letter from Messrs. Gibb, Livingston & Co, to Fooshow, it is possible that, along with many others about the period of posting, it was also stolen for the stamps. On the other hand, it may have been lost in one of the many ways that are impossible to discover and consequently cannot be guarded against.
As regards the request for an enquiry, I may state that as soon as it was discovered that stamp stealing had become systematic; (owing. to one or more of the Postal Hongs no doubt being convenient places for disposal) proper precaution was taken by stationing, during the time that any one has access to the letters, detective, whose special duty is to see that all stamps on letters are obliterated immediately on being taken out of the dips or from the table at the window.