Lugust 5, 1899.]
your villagers. Do not forget that your responsibility is very real, as I look to you to preserve the peace and good order of your villages, and to report to the authorities all bad characters and persons who endeavour to stirup strife. With the support of the Sub-district Committees and the villagers I look for the firm establishment of internal peace and prosperity, and I undertake that you shall be fully protected by the Government from any interference from without. I wished to adds few more words on the subject of land. It has been reported to me that as soon as the Convention between the Emperor of China and the Queen of Great Britain was gned certain people were induced to sell their lands at a low value by being told that the British Government would take possession of the land without payment when they came into the territory. I take this opportunity of telling you, the elders and gentry of all the villages that if any man has been induced to sell his land by these false misrepresentations and he is not satisfied, he can give notice to the Land Officer, who will not register the title until the real question at issue has been looked into and de- sided. I have mentioned all this before by pro- alamation, but I wish to emphasise it more strongly now that I see the gentry and elders before me, as I am determined that if any man has been improperly induced to give his land away under its value I won't accept the sale as valid.
A literary man of the name of TANG YUI SHAN then stepped forward, and falling on his knees commenced to read an address of welcome, His Excellency interrupting him by telling him to read it standing. The following is a rough translation of the address :----
Your Excellency, your subject, on behalf of the Committeemen present and the people of the Districts and sub-districts whom they represant, thauks Your Excellency for honour- ing us with a visit.
We have eagerly looked forward to Your Excellency's coming to day, which marks a new era in the history of this territory This visit will infuse into the conutry and the people a new life and spirit and will be follored by peace, prosperity, and happiness. We know that Your Excellency will tret us july, considerately, and imparti- ally. We congratulate ourselves on our good fortune in having placed over us such a kind Governor, and proud indeed are we to be the subjects of such a benevolent sovereign as Her Majesty Queen Victoria. We pray that Your Excellency will, when memorialising the Throne, tender to Her Majesty our humble anomission and our profound feelings of loyalty." At the back of the pavilion was a tablet, containing an inscription in gold. This Mr. TANG YUI SHAN asked His Excellency to accept as a slight token of respect.
His EXCELLENCY-Thanks very much. I accept with pleasure.
The following is a rough translation of the inscription:
"To His Excellency the Governor.
All the inhabitants of the territory look up to you with reverence and hop-.
In the summer of the twenty-fourth year of the reign of His Imperial Chinese Majesty (1898) it was decreed that the territory in the neighbourhood of Kowloon in the Sunon Dis- trict should be leased to Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain.
At the beginning of the present year, Sir Houry Blake was appointed by Her Majesty the Queen, Governor of Hongkong and its Dependencies.
It is well known to all that since Hongkong became a British Colony and since the establish- ment at Shanghai of a British Settlement, these two places have become the abodes of peace and prosperity, and their inhabitants are alled with songs of praise. This is due to the people residing there having enjoyed to the fall the great benefits of a just Government which has been able to transform places formerly in- significant into a land of happiness.
** Happy is the lot which has now fallen to the Kowloon territory, the inhabitants of which are Tortunate indeed to have been born in such a
lace and to be living at such a time.
Henceforth weshall dwell in our homes enjoy. ing peace and quiet and free from all care and anxiety under the protection of a good and
ist government
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Such happiness has been the hope and dream of our lives and joyful indeed are we that at last our wish is realised.
"The people of this territory humbly pray that Your Excellency will condescend to accept this Tablet as a slight mark of their feelings of respect and gratitude.
#
one else to come.
of your clients what course to adopt. Francis cannot be here you had better get
The Court adjourned until Monday.
31st July.
Mr. Slade-In this case I now appear instead of my learned friend Mr. Francis, who, I to say, is still very ill.
Repeatfully presented by the inhabitants of the Fastern part of the Territory."
His EXCELLENOY-I am very glad to meet the elders. I invate them all to go to the mat after three seperate adjournments of this case His Lordship-I had certainly hoped that shed, where tes and cakes are provided for them. the learned counsel for the prisoners would be I wish them every happiness in the future.
There was no mistaking the fact that this and continue his zealous defence of the prison. sufficiently recovered to be able to appear here little speech of the Governor was appreciated|ers. As, however, this is not the case, In even more than his other one.
His Excellency entertained the Europeans to tiffin in the official quarters, where the health of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen was loyally drunk.
The party then broke up, got aboard, and steamed for home, which was reached after an- other pleasant run.
On Friday His Excellency goes to Pingsan to meet few more elders there.
SUPREME COURT.
28th July.
CRIMINAL SESSIONS.
BEFORE HIS HONOUR W. MEIGH GOOD- man (Acting Chief Justice),
AND A SPECIAL JURY.
of being defended by Mr. Slade, who In hà glad that the prisoners will have the advanta recent very able defence of the two other men who were charged with a like offence committed at considerable knowledge of the circumstances the same time and place there is no doubt soquired
under which this crime is alleged to have been is not able to come here, and we all sympathise committed. Although I am sorry Mr Francis
with him very much, I am afraid it is essential in the interests of justice that a murder case should no longer be postponed.
The evidence for the prosecution was then continued.
1st August.
Towards noon the case for the prosecution was closed.
Mr. Slade, in addressing the jury for the defence, put in a proclamation in which reward of $25 was offerred for the arrest of deceased, who it was alleged had been guilty of THE UN LOONG MURDER CASE.
several robberies. Consequently when defen, His Lordship addressing the jury, said :-Gen- daut was found at Áh Chuen the elders seised tleman, I am sorry to say that this morning him, and he was sent under arrest to Un Loong, I have received a medical certificate from First prisoner went to Un Loong at about four Dr. Hartigan, which I will read to you. It o'clock in the afternoon, deceased having been says, "I certify that Mr. Francis, Q.C., is still arrested in the morning, and got back to his very weak and is now suffering from fever. It house at about half-past five, and while outside is quite impossible for him to go down to the the walled town saw the people who had been court. I do not expect he will be able to re-fighting the British return. He went to Un sume his duties before Monday next." You Loong again at about eight o'clock, and re- see in his certificate yesterday Dr. Hartiganmained until ten, and at eleven o'clock he went said, "He will in all probability be able to resume his duties to-morrow." Therefore we had hoped Mr. Francis would have been able to be here to-day, and in the face of this certificate the court is placed in a very difficult position. This is not an ordinary case of misdemeanour; it is a case of murder, and it is very necessary that the jury should have the evidence fresh in their minds. At the same time I am very anxions that the prisoners should not suf for in any way from the unfortunate illness of their counsel. We of course all sympathise very much with Mr. Francis. At the same time it is absolutely essential that the course of criminal justice should go on. If one counsel cannot do a case it is essential some other counsel should be appointed to do the case. Is
Mr. Brutton here P
Mr. Brutton (who instructed Mr. Francis) made his presence known.
His Lordship-Mr. Brutton, I should strongly recommend you to at once employ a junior coun- sel, so that if Mr. Francis is unable to be here on Monday that gentleman may take his place.
Mr. Brutton-You see the difficulty we are in. If a junior counsel were employed he would have to be paid a fee.
His Lordship Of course I cannot go in to details, Mr. Brutton. I can only say this, that the court will go on with the case on Monday. If there is no counsel for the prisoners it will be
their misfortune.
Mr. Brutton said there was a case at home in
which in the absence of counsel the solicitor was allowed to appear. Would his Lordship give him permission to appear?
His Lordship said certainly not. He could not hear Mr. Brutton. He was only speaking to Mr. Brutton as to whether it would not be in the interests of his clients to engage junior counsel. A case of murder could not be postpon. ed. They would have to go on on Monday.
Mr. Brutton was again proceeding to refer to the case in which a solicitor was allowed to appear in the absence of counsel, when ⠀
out, telling his wife he was going to a certain opium diyan for a smoke before going to bed He had no evideñice to show what he did after that.
Evidence for the defence was then called” The case is still proceeding.
August 3rd.
In Summary JuRISDICTION.
BEFORE ME. JUSTICE WISE (PUISNE JUDGE.)
A RATING APPEAL. This was an appeal of the Hongkong Land Investment and Agency Co., Limited, against the interim assessment, dated 30th June, 1899, of the offices and dwelling on Marine Lot No. 278, in Connaught road (New Prays Central) on the following grounds(1) That the said tenement is valued beyond its rateable value, the value of certain machinery upon or in the said tenement having been included in the said rateable value, contrary to the provisions of Ordnance No. 15 of 1888, entitled the Rating Ordinance; (2) that the said tonement is valued beyond its ratable value on the date on which such valuation was made (June 30th, 1899),
because on the said date certain portions the said building were unfinished and Idcap- sble of beneficial occupation.
beca
Mr. Hastings appeared for the appellants, and Mr. Bowley (Crown Solicitor) for the sasa Mr. A. Chapman,
appellante, stated Mr. Hastings, for
been asessed at an the premises had
and the app rateable value of $17,830, contended that this was excessive, value of certain machinery upon the pre- had been included. The machinery in consisted of two lifts, which ran to all the and were driven by complicated machinery consisting of which revolves a drum on wh
His Lordship said There are other counsel coiled. The power wi beside Mr. Francis. If Mr. Francis cannot Electric Company and
shesves and pulleys take the case other counsel must. The case must be tried. The case must go on on Monday, tom, over" which and it will be for you to consider in the interests' law of this colony with