Page
July 20, 1901.]
A GOLD-MINE,
Of late a gold-mine has been discovered in the district of Kwong Ning, in the province of Kwangtung, and an assistant Magistrate, by name Chan Kai Un, was ordered by the Viceroy to proceed thither to make an examination. On his return therefrom he saw the Viceroy the other day, and made a favourable report. But what is wanted is large capital to start the enterprise.
MACAO:
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
Macao, 15th July.
PROPOSED NEW CENTRAL MARKAT. As evidence of the real earnestness on the part of the municipality to push on the measures conducive to the improved sanitation of the city, the scheme for the proposed new central market in San Domingo is worthy of more than passing notice. With a view therefore of obtaining the details of so important a public work, the Municipal Commissioners were approached, through their president, by your correspondent. Mr. A. J. Basto very readily consented to furnish all the particulars of the scheme, and to him your correspondent desires to acknowledge his indebtedness. In his courtesy in affording all the information which he now places before your leaders, Senator Eduardo Marques was likewise very obliging in offering every facility towards the accom. plishment of your correspondent's visit to the Conneil Chamber.
As a preliminary measure to the carrying out of the proposal, you have heard that the Governor in Council has directed, by proclama- tion, the resumption of the entire site occupied by the old bazaar. It was explained by the Vice-President, in laying the draft plan before his colleagues in the Senate, that since the fire ten years ago various schemes were brought up by the Government itself, by the municipal council, and by private individuals. None of them, however, met with favourable considera. tion. The reason assigned for their non-adoption is found in the fast that not one of the various proposals ever complied with the public require menta. One plan drawn up was far too extravagant as regards the cost for putting it into execution; another, on the other hand, fell far short of local exigencies and was therefore rejected. It did not answer the requirements of the stall-holders nor did its arrangement meet the views either of Govern- ment or of the municipality. Nevertheless, it was all along recognised that a new market was a pressing public work, whose completion would remove the unsightliness of fish, vegetables and other articles of food being exposed for sale on the public footpaths. Such a state of affairs did not conduce to the proper sanitation of the nity, nor could it be said that it was becoming the lignity of a civilised nation.
The home the Vice-President then put before the Council was so framed as to meet the objections that ruled the rejection of all former plans. It had been prepared by a most competent professional gentleman, the Director of Public Works. The market, when completed, would consist of four blocks of buildings with a total of 112 stalls and suitable accommodation, or dwelling-rooms so to speak, corresponding to as many stalls for the care- takers or the stall-holders themselves. These dwellings will be located on the upper floor, admission to which can be gained from a verandah running right round, as shown in the detailed drawing. The advantage of this arrangement in a tropical climate is sufficiently obvious, and needs no further explanation. For sanitary reasons also as well as on mathetic grounds it was well to provide sleeping apart- ments for the caretakers separate from the market proper. One of the principal objections raised by the Chinese interested against former lans is that no provision had been made for the housing of the stall-holders in the market buildings. In adopting, therefore, this Chinese view a difficulty has been met. On the ground of expediency also it was as well to yield to this native objection, seeing that in this way the necessity of the stall-holders having to rent sleeping-rooms elsewhere has been removed and one of the most cogent pleas for increase in prioss of food has been done away with. The
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
incidence of an undesirable taxation like that of a higher cost of the daily necessaries of life will be more keenly felt by that section of the community who are the least able to bear it. This foresight and parental care on the part of the city fathers is highly to be commended and deserving of the thanks of the public.
In order to pave the way for the carrying out of this desirable scheme it is, as explained before, necessary to resume a number of houses. Appended is a list of those that have fallen under the ban of the expropriation proclamation :-
Houses.
13
***
***
Largo do Senado San Domingos Travessa do Samio (right)
(left)
Rua dos Mercadores Beco do Poço Rua do Mercado
11
Beco do Porqueiro... Travessa das Frutas
7
15
11
27
16
19
6
Total 129
WAYS ANd means. Now as to ways and means. The Director of Public Works has estimated that the cost of new buildings, together with compensation that will have to be paid to the owners in con- sequence of the resumption of their properties, will exceed $103,000. To raise this sum of money the municipality have agreed to borrow from the Santa Casa da Misericordia upon the following conditions :-
(1) The $100,000 shall be advanced in two separate sums of $60,000 and $40,000, each bear- ing interest at the rate of 6 per cent.
per annum. The re-payment of the first will be made by yearly instalments, with interest, of $5,000, and thit of the second by $3,400 per annum with interest. (2) The debt shall be a first charge upon the general revenue and other funds of the muni. cipality.
(8) As further security, the municipality agree to mortgage all the market buildings together with all the land now occupied by the houses about to be resumed.
the remaining available land shall, in the first instance, be subject to the approval of the mortgagees.
(4) All buildings to be hereafter erected on
The Commissioners' ability to repay the loan in the manner above described is explained in the Vice-President's speech. He estimates that the monthly rental derivable from each of the 112 stal's may be safely put down at $4, giving an aggregate of $5,376 per annum--a sum ample enough to provide for the first loan of $60,000.
Four dollars did not seem to him a high rent to expect, seeing that in a much less favourable locality like the Horta da Mitra the Chinese have been willing and are paying $3 per stall. To obtain a revenue sufficient to meet the $3,400 for the amortisation of the second capital sum, the Commissioners rely on the leasing of the 4,200 square metres of vacant land that will remain after resuming the area for the market proper as shown on the plan. Taking a minimum yield at, per square metre, of 81 cents, the annual rental is 83.400.
The financial aspect of the scheme having been explained, the Chairman of the meeting then presented a synopsis of the market regula- tions which will have to be formulated in accordance with the powers vested in the Council by Article 123, Sec. XLV, of the Administrative Code. The regulations will deal with :-
(1) The probibition of the sale of all articles of food elsewhere than in a municipal market ;
(2) The licensing of hawkers;
(3) The leasing of all, or any one, of the stalls by public auction;
(4) The fixing the value of the rental: provided always that the minimum rate chargeable shall be $3 and the maximum 36 per mensan. No alteration shall be made in the rents unless by new regulations;
(5) The publication of all rules and regula- tions relating to finance, cleanliness, good order and general sanitary condition of markets;
(6) The prohibition of the sale of all other articles in the markets except food stuffs; and
(7) The imposition of penalties for offences against market bye-laws.
69
FURTHER DEVELOPMENTE. Following the completion of the market, it is proposed to make a continuous road, worthy of the improved condition of the locality, in a direct line from the Senate House to the Hong. kong, Canton, and Macao Steamboat Co.'s Wharf. It will be but an elaboration of the present scheme, carried to its entirety, that will not only give easier access to the city from the only landing-place made use of by Europeans, but the labyrinth of lanes and alleys occupied on both sides by houses of ill-fame need not, as now, force itself on the notice of the stranger RS to takes his first ride through the thorough. fares of this fair and ancient city.
TIENTSIN.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
Tientsin, 3rd July, TUNG FUHSIANG'S REPORTED REVOLT, There has been some local excitement dur- ing the last few days over rumours that the notorious Tung Fahsiang was descending from the nothern borders of Shansi on Taiyuanfu, and was giving a free hand to his wild borderland scallywaggery in the looting of the traversed countryside. The report came in the first place from Paotingfa, and took the form of a statement in a missionary's note to his agent in Tientain" letter has been received from Taiyuan, stating," &c. The careless man does not say if his informant is a native, trustworthy or untrustworthy, nor does he criticise the authority of the writer. It is but fair to add that Bishop Favier in Peking has received similar intelligence from his agents, and that the news is inherently probable. The Pantingfu writer added that the military leaders of Yuan Shih-kai's brigade who were to oppose Tung's ruffians had asked for German help. It is only to be hoped that it is all true. Tang is a crassly ignorant fanatio, and has had swelled head ever since he put down the Mahommedan rebels in Kansu three years ago; he has never seen foreign soldiers, and is a superstitious believer in the fallacy of numbers. It would do him endless good to meet a
stronger foroe, numerically one tenth of his own, and to get a sound thrashing. It is extremely probable that he is now on the occult rebellion policy; that is, raising the standard of revolt with the well understood condition that if he meets with success his work will count for the Manchus and will be approved by them, however much in the meantime they may decry him to the Ministers.
THE MILITARY EXODUS.
Meanwhile the report has made no difference in the exodus of the Allied China field-force, which is going on all the time. This week one thonsand Germans sailed for home, and the Japanese battery of artillery left us two days ago for good. Nineteen transports are engaged to run back and forward to Calcutta between this and October, some of which will make three trips. A large portion of the baggage train has already left, two thousand mules having been shipped in the last ten days. Our people do not, like the rest of the Allies, sell their horse and mule flesh; on dit that the balance left out the 9,000 horses brought up from Australia for the Germans last autumn at a cost of £90 a piece is to be disposed of here. The Japanese have so far been heavy bayers, and much need it; in horse-flesh alone are they at a ludicrous discount in the military art. Their guns are painfully dragged by ill. tempered native stallions which spend most of their time in fighting each other. Their cavalry too is in painful contrast to that of all the Allies, but especially to that of India.
I note that the civil residents of Tientsin åre all getting well mounted, and no wonder when, if one is alert, he may pick up a full sized horse for the price of a China pony.
CHINESE ZULE RECOMMENCING. There are many proofs that we are at last in a transition stage, and that the Chinese are about to renew the civil administration of much of Chihli. Already Peking is in part under native police, and the refugee officials are now to be met on all hands. This week in Tientsin, I have seen General Mai and the territorial Taotai going around making official calls. Their rag-tag and bob-tail following in pro-