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important towns on the island. No opposition to this scheme is expected.
THE HÒNGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The post office will soon move from the back room it now occupies in the government build- ing, to a large and commodious room in the front of the same building. Mr. Fesly, who is in charge of postal affairs here, has lately re turned from a trip inland, where he was well treated, and from where he brought a fine speci- men of the finny inhabitants of the inland streams. Mr. Montreif, his able interpreter and assistant, has lately established postal con- nection with the island of Leyte, which has not aa yet been taken possession of by Uncle Sam.
Large numbers of locusts have been lately devastating the plantations. It is reported that crops are completely ruined, and aid is asked for by the unlucky planters. The well- to-do residents are endeavouring to ascertain the extent of the damage, with an idea of alleviat- ing any suffering there may be on this account. La Justicia, the only paper published here, comes out this week with an editorial tirade against the American Commissioners' proclama. tion, and says the Philippine people will stand by their own government until their race is exterminated. The editor is a Spaniard, and he is evidently making a grand-stand play in this kind of talk, although it is decidedly pro- blematical as to what he expects to gain. A movement has been on foot for the establish ment of an American paper, but there are no facilities at this time for its production.- Manila Times.
THE COLONY'S FINANCES.
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(May 6, 1899.
THE WISE VIRGINS AND THE
FOOLISH RULERS.
1st May.
it would be difficult to point to any one which | THE NEW LIGHT REGULATIONS. was more noticeable than the others. The other soloists were Miss Murray Bain, Mr. G. P. Lammert, Mr. E. Mirow, and Mr. C. R. Crispin. Miss Bain joined Mr. Mirow in the duet "Love divine! all love excelling," which was very sweetly rendered. The tenor song "My hope is in the Everlasting" was well sung by Mr. Lammert, and Mr. Crispin was heard to advantage in "My little daughter lieth at the point of death." The cantats had evidently been most carefully rehearsed and consequently was given in a manner creditable to all con. cerned. Mr. G. Grimble efficiently performed the duties of organist, and Mr. A. G. Ward proved an expert conductor. By permission of Colonel Mainwaring and Officers several mem- ber of the Band of the Royal Welch Fusiliers assisted in the accompaniments.
Ladies going ont to tes this afternoon would do well to reflect upon the parable of the wise and foolish virgins and see that their lamps are trimmed, lest haply they should be detained until after the hour of sunset (6.25 p.m.) and then find they have no light to lighten them through the electrically and Welsbach-burnerly illuminated roads on their homeward way. In that case they will be liable, with or without any warrant, to be lawfully stopped, seized, apprehended, and detained by any member of the Police Force (Hon. F. H. May, C.M.G., for instance), and thereupon to be taken before ATTACK ON A YOUNG LADY ON Police Magistrate (Mr. T. Sercombe Smith
KENNEDY ROAD.
A correspondent informs us that on Satur. day afternoon at about four o'clock, a young girl was out with her two young brothers for a bicycle ride along Kennedy Road when she was attacked by three Chinamen, who caught hold of the handle-bar of her bicycle, threw her to the ground, seized her by the throat, covered her mouth and eyes, and then snatched off her bracelet. They en- deavoured to pull off her gold ring and would have snatched at her ear-rings and torn her ears had it not been for the fact that they heard footsteps coming round the bend of the road, which made them take to their heels! The two brothers were far ahead of the young lady and therefore could not render her any assistance. The footsteps that caused the footpads to desist from their work In revenue the principal increases were as were those of two young gentlemen who, the follows:-Assessed taxes $37,482, fines $28,579, correspondent suggests, to say the least, could opiam monopoly $71,656, stamps $74.889, certi- have escorted the affrighted and trembling girl floates to Chinese entering America $18,600,home when she told them of the affair, if it was Sunday cargo-working permits $14,075.postage too late to render any other aid. Along the $68,563, and profit on subsidiary coins $33,028.
road one policeman was seen. Ina ll fifty-six items show an increase and twenty-six items a decrease, but the latter are all inconsiderable except light dues, which show THE HON. J. J. BELL-IRVING'S
The financial returns of the Colonial Treasurer for 1898 are published in the Gazette. The revenue was $2,918,159, an increase on the 1897 revenue of $231,244, while the expenditure amounted to $2,841,805, an increase of $200,395.
a decrease of $62,531, due to the abolition of #the Gap Rock light dues, and $13,673 for official
signatures.
On the expenditure side of the account there are increases in seventeen items and decreases in twelve items. The principal increases are -Pensions $23,386, Post Office 834,481, Military expenditure $42,405, and public works extraordinary $106,665. The principal decrease are:-Audit department $4,717, Fire Brigade $7,742, miscellaneous services $16,457 and public works recurrent $22,004.
The statement of assets and liabilities shows that the assets amount to $1,089,802, of which $995,000 is represented by subsidiary coins on the spot and in transit. The liabilities amount to $876,444, showing a balance of assets over liabilities of $213,358, from which has to be deducted the balance of the 1893 loan $123,334, reducing the net balance to $90,024.
SPECIAL CHORAL SERVICE.
'THE DAUGHter of JaLRUS.” The special choral service held in St. John's Cathedral on Tuesday afternoon was especially well attended, almost every available seat being occupied. The whole service was a great success and the best of the kind which has taken place for some time.
DEPARTURE,
The Hon. J. J. Bell-Irving left for home in the China on Tuesday. The previous evening be met the St. Andrew's Society, of which he was President, and was presented with a hand- some souvenir in the form of a silver quaich. which was designed and provided by Messrs. Falconer and Co. The bowl rests upon a stand formed by four silver dragons and there are two solid gold shields, one bearing a suitable inscription and the other St. Andrew's coat of arms, the souvenir being further adorned with the words. Come fill this up with barley bree as generous as your mind, and join us in this generous toast. The whole of humankind."
FILE ON A KEROSINE STEAMER.
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At about half-past seven on Tuesday morning it was discovered that a fire had broken out in the stoke-hold of the kerosine steamer the Sabine Rickmers, which was lying at Laichikok. She was at once removed from the Wharf to Stonecutter's Island, and the police fire launch, in charge of Captain Superintendent May, ap- pear on the scene, the fire was soon put out.
DISAPPEARANCE OF A HONGKONG
MERCHANT.
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By way of introduction Sullivan's evening hymn "O gladsome light," which was unaccom- panied, was tastefully given by a carefully selected choir, and this was followed by the mo- For some days past the police have been tett for soprano solo and chorus "Hear my
busily engaged endeavouring to discover the prayer" (Mendelssohn), in which the solo was whereabouts of Mr. H. H. Kirch (Kirch and taken by Mrs. Lowson most admirably, notwith- Co., Icehouse Street), who has been missing standing that she was labouring under the dis- since the 26th April." He left his residence at advantage of a slight cold. The principal attrac- the Peak on the morning in question at his tion,however, was Stainer's popular sacred oantata usual time for business, but did not present "The Daughter of Jairus." Here Mrs. Low-himself at the office. The latest that can be son was again the principal, by far the greater portion of the solos falling to her, and none who had the pleasure of hearing her will deny that she acquitted herself exceedingly well, all her efforts being so uniformly good that
found out about him is that he purchased some morphia from a chemist's shop in Queen's Road. This, however, was nothing unusual for him to do, so that not much importance is attached to it.
to wit) to be dealt with according to law, the said law imposing a penalty not exceeding fifty dollars, or, in default of payment thereof, im prisonment for a term not exceeding six months with or without hard labour. Common males, on their part, may imagine themselves so many budding Diogenes carrying lamps in the light in the hope of finding a wise man, a quest in which they will have little sucoess if their search be directed towards the ranks of the Government Service. But however hopeless the quest, and however brilliant the illumina- tion of the streats and roads, they must never- theless carry a lamp, if they ride in a chair, or they, too, will be liable to be lawfully stopped, seized, apprehended, and detained, etc., eto. The prayers in Church yesterday for our rulers and governors might well have been offered with a special fervancy, for the governors and rulers aforesaid stand in need of a lot of praying for. They do those things that they› ought not to do and leave undone those that they ought to do, as witness their, shooking neglect in the matter of taking over Her Majesty's new territory and their irritating activity in im posing on the people burdens grievous to be borne, as in the case of the light regulations.
4th May.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OFFICIAL DISTINCTION, Recent occurrences in connection with the New Territory have resulted in bringing the The American papers publish the following, Hon. F. H. May into worldwide notoriety.
which purports to be dated Hongkong, 4th April:-"It is reported that the Chinese have captured Captain Francis Henry May, superintendent of the Hongkong police.". The San Francisco Chronicle appends the following
biographical details:" Captain Francis Henry May, who has been Super- intendent of Police at Hongkong since 1893, and superintendent of the Victoria Jail and fire brigade there since 1896, is the fourth son of the late J. A. C. May, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. He is now in his fortieth year. He received special decorations for ser- vices rendered during the coolie strike and the great plague of 1894.” If our popu- lar Captain Superintendent would only run in a lady some evening for being out after sunset without a light he might get recom- mended for the Victoria Cross.
But an- other suggestion occurs. Why should not the Governor take up this perilous duty him. self? From a telegram pablished in another column it will be seen that the Viceroy of India, desiring to familiarise himself with the working of the railway system, has taken over the personal direction of the Public Works De- partment for a term. Why should not Sir Henry Blake follow Lord Curzen's example and familiarise himself with the working of the pinprick system by taking over the adminis tration of the Light Regulations Department, which at present seems to be in a state of haos? Some persons have provided themselves with lights, in accordance with the new regula- tions; many have not; but the electric light and Welsbach burners shine impartially on the just and the unjust and nothing seems to hap. pen. It seems hard that those who have taken the trouble to provide themselves with lights should not at least be permitted to enjoy the legitimate fun of seeing their less law-abiding neighbours run in,
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