February 10, 1900.]
CANTON NOTES.
FROM A CORRESPONDENT.]
24 CANTON, 4th February. Zola CHINA NEW YEAR.
China New Year is upon us and everything in at a standstill from a business point of view The only person thought of by the natives is the New Viceroy, upon whom they expend as much energy, salaaming and kowtowing as would build a city or conquer a town,
Inside the city, however, things are lively enough. Nothing is more interesting than a walk throngh the streets at this season of the year. What strikes one more forcibly than anything else is how all the world is a kin in roguery. One notes the same old dodges. Here a yokel with open mouth swallowing with guato the hopes and dreams held ont to him by wily seer; there a gambler staking his last cent for heaven or hell. Further on, esters and drinkers, sight-seers and merry-makers, pal- mists, phrenologists, fortune-tellers, and the rest, fatten upon the weaknesses of humanity. The cigar and cigarette stall and the foreign pictorial shows are now-a-days fixed exhi- bitions. Here and there you come across an open-mouthed crowd with phonograph tape to ear absorbing with evident delight the slippery strains of a celestial ditty.
THE VISIT OF THE IITIS." The German gunboat Iltis was with us recently. She had on board a band-what German ship worthy the name has not? A dance in the club was followed by a dance on board, and the Emperor's birthday was cele- bated by a dinner.
THE NEW VICEROY,
H.E. Li Hang-chang arrived recently and was well received. He is a strong man, and great things are expected of him as regards ridding the local waters of pirates. The pre- sent state of things is, of course quite abnormal -the outcome, to a great extent, of increased taxation and the unsettled condition of things generally. No doubt all will be peaceful before long, as I hear that strong measures are al- ready being initiated.
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Canton, 5th February.
A SERIOUS FIRE,
On the 26th Jan. last, at night, botween 11 and 12 o'clock, the splendid mansion of one of the richest men here, Mr. Chow Tung-shang, of Canton, in the Tung Wang street, caught fire and was completely burned, leaving only the front portal, the garden, and the theatre stand- ing. Two the servant girls who had no time to escape were burned to death. The property lost amounted to about two hundred thousand dollars. The fire originated from "Chin chin joss."
LI'S BIRTHDAY.
Sunday last, the 5th inst., being the anniver. sary of the birthday of H.E. Li Hung-chang, the Viceroy of Canton, all the officials, civil and military, called on him aad presented to him their congratulations.
OFFICIALS TO BE REINSTATED. It is rumoured in Canton that those man- darins who have lost their offices and been sup- planted by bribery during the time of the late Viceroy Tan are to be reinstated, and the new incumbents who obtained their posts by bribes are to be dismissed.
YAMENS TO BE OPENED.
All the official yameus are to be reopened for the transaction of business on the 8th inst.
REVENUE FROM FANTAN,
Fantan is one of the most prevalent gambling games in Canton, being one of the sources from which most of the mandarins derive their income of squeeze to keep up their positions. It was once licensed by the late Viceroy Li Hang-chang; but in the time of the late Viceroy Tan Chung-lin, together with the late provincial Governor Mah, upon their memorialising the Throne, it was put a stop to; still it has been openly carried on by bribery. It is now hinted, says the native paper Pok Man Po of the 5th inst., that H.E, the Viceroy Li Hung-chang intends to license it for 750,000 taels, two-thirds of which are to
pay
for naval expenses and one-third to pay the military expenses.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
CHINA PROVIDENT LOAN AND MORTGAGE CO., LIMITED.
THE KOWLOON LAND AND BUILD- ING COMPANY, LIMITED.
An extraordinary general meeting in conneo-
On the 6th inst at upon the eleventh ordinary tion with the China Provident Loan and Mort meeting of shareholders in the Kowloon Yand gage Company, Limited, was held at the office and Building Company Limited, was held at of the General Managers (Messrs. Shewan, the company's offices-Vietoria Buildings. Mr. Tomes, and Co.) on the 8th inst. at noon. Mr. present: Messrs. E. Jones Hughes, J. H. Cox, F. Henderson présided, andathere were also Showan presided, and there were also present: Messrs. J. H. Lewis, J. S. Van Buren, ChowJ. Goosman_(directors), A Shelton Hooper Kelly, and F. M. Gutierrez, Hing Ki, Chan Tung Chang (directors), E. 8. (socrotary), E. Georg, T. H. Reid, and M. S
Northcote.
The notice convening the meeting was read. The CHAIRMAN said-I propose that the following resolutions passed at the extraordinary general meeting of the company held on the 23rd January be confirmed, namely, first "That the capital of the company be increased to $2,000,000 by the creation and issue of 50,000 new shares of $20 each.” Will anybody second
that?
Mr. KELLY seconded, and the resolution was carried.
9.
The SECRETARY read the notice coavening the meeting.
| The CHAIRMAN. said--Gentlemen, there is
very little to say with regard to the report which is now before you and which, with your Permission, we will take as read. "You will notice that the income has increased by $1,300, and that the directors recommend the payment of a dividend of $1.25, as against $1 last year, and is divided into 6,000 shares, $30 paid up, be paid. The capital now stands at $180,000 The houses have been fully occupied during the year. Repairs bare been exeanted to the exlant of $750. I do not know that I have anything else to remark about the report, but if anyone desires to ask any question I shall be happy to answer them.
The CHAIRMAN-I now propose that the second resolution be confirmed, namely. That the commission of the General Managers be reduced to 5 per cent. and that the figure "8" in the sixth parargraph of Article XI. of the Articles of Association of the Company be No questions being asked, the report was struck ont and the figure "5" substituted there-adopted, on the motion of the CHAIRMAN, 88- for "
Will anybody second that?
conded by Mr. GEORG.
|
Mr. VAN BUREN seconded, and the motion was carried.
The CHAIRMAN-The resolutions having now been passed, I may inform you that the transfer books will be closed on the 15th inst., and the first call of $5 per share will be payable on the 15th March. All shareholders on the re- gister on the 15th February will be entitled to apply for the new issue in the proportion of one new share for every share standing in their name on that date.
THE HONGKONG ICE COMPANY, LIMITED.
The nineteenth ordinary annual meeting of shareholders in the Hongkong Ice Company; Limited, was held on the 7th inst. at the offices of the General Managers (Messra. Jardine, Mathe- son and Co.), Pedder street. The chair was occu- pied by Mr. C. W. Dickson, and there were also present: Messrs. W. Parlane, (manager), H. W. Bell (secretary), Brook Smith, Cruick- shank, A. Fleet, Ho Fuk, To Cheung Shui, and Fak Han Yin.
{
Mr. REID, in proposing the re-election of Mestra. J. W. Cox and E. Jones Hughes as directors, said—I take this opportunity of con- gratulating the directors upon the satisfactory report they have been able to submit to the shareholders. The expenses of management are very low, and the prospect of an increased rental I think give the shareholders hope that the dividend will be even higher in the coming year. At the same time i would like to suggest to the directorate that they should consider the advisability of increasing their business in Kowloon. The demand for houses there is increasing, and if the directors can see their way at all to extend their business I think they ought to take advantage of this de- mand for houses.
Mr. GEORG ssconded, and the motion was
carried.
re-elected auditors, on the motion of Mr. REID, Messrs. Thos Arnold and W. H. Gaskell were seconded by Mr. NORTHCOTE.
OLIVERS FREEHOLD MINES, LIMITED.
gentlemen. Dividend warrants will be ready The CHAIRMAN—That is all the [business,
Reid for his suggestion. The proposals of to-morrow. I am very much obliged to Mr
shareholders will always be considered. The The SECRETARY read the notice convening reason we have not developed more up to the the meeting.
present is that so far as we can make out it The CHAIRMAN said-With your permis-would not be possible to build further on the sites sion I propose to take the report now before you
without deteriorating the present buildings. as read.
The quantity of ice When the demand for houses becomes so great sold during the year was larger than usual, and it becomes possible, then we shall undertake and although some of the outlets may not it. be open to Us in the future, yet it is satisfactory to note an increase in local con- sumption, a continuance of which may be relied on. Our revenue from cold storage though necessarily small shows a satisfactory increase, and I may add that if further accom- modation should at any time be required the company is able and will be prepared to pro- vide it. The factory buildings and plant are ia good order. As you will observe from the accounte, a sum of $200 was subscribed to the Soldiers and Sailors Families Fund, and this I have no doubt will have your approval. Pre- suming that you adopt the General Managers' recommendations as stated in the report, your property will then stand at $100,000, a very moderate figure below which there does not seem any necessity to reduce it. Before moving the adoption of the report and accounts I shall be glad to answer any questions which share- holders may wish to put relating to the report and accounts.
No questions being asked, the report and accounts were adopted on the motion of the CHAIRMAN, soconded by Mr. FLEET.
Mr. Lo CHEUNG SHUI, Mr. Thomas Arnold On the motion of Mr. Ho Fux, seconded by
was re-elected auditor.
The CHAIRMAN That is all the business, gentlemen. Dividend warrants will be ready
to-morrow.
We are informed by Messrs. John D. Hum- phreys and Son, General Managers of Olivers Freehold Mines Limited, that they have received the following telegram from the Mines:-
During January mill ran 12 days, crushed 298 tons of stone, yielding 152 ozs smelted gold, have struck the lode at the 300 ft. level south. average width of lode is 9 feet, the whole width of the lode is worth 6 dwts. per ton, 4 fest on the foot wall side assays 10 dwts. per tou, im- portant developments have taken place in the higher levels, prospects of the miue generally very good."
In reference to the small number of days th mill was working the general managers state that they have lately received adrices by letter from the mines intimating that owing to the usual annual overhaul and to the alteration and repairs necessitated by the introduction of buckets, there would be considerable delay in cages into the mine in place of the old system of
starting the battery running again.
H.M.S. Daphne left Shanghai on the 29th ult, for Weihaiwei.