September 28, 1901.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
of State in whose hand the appointment rests. tioned in your letter by private correspondence, | I cannot, however, agree with you that the work and to suggest that your requests should be of this small Colony cannot be properly super-made though the Colonial Secretary, when they vised by one Director of Public Works, a task will be dealt with in the usual course. that is being successfully performed in Colonies in which much larger works are being carried out than here.
The question of a Municipality will not, I take it, be affected by the appointment of any Director of Public Works, who may be selected by the Secretary of State. Should that ques. tion come forward, it will doubtless be considered by His Majesty's Government on its merits, on which I do not desire at present to offer any opinion.
Yours very truly,
(Signed) HENRY A., BLAKE.
The Honourable
T. H. WHITEHEAD.
Hongkong, 7th September, 1901. DEAR SIR HENEY BLAKE,
Yesterday afternoon I was favoured with your letter of 5th instant, in reply to my communication of 23rd idem, and take due note of your Excellency's remarks. It is a fact (1) that plague has been epidemic in Hongkong for six consecutive years, (2) that plague has en- tailed quarantine on the shipping of the port and disastrous results on the commerce of the Colony, (3) that there is considerable overcrowd- ing in several of the districts in the City. (4) that there is insanitation, defective sewerage and drainage, and (5) that there are evidently in existence in Hongkong jerry-buildings.
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I am to inform you, however, that the matter of the collapse of the honses is being very carefully looked into.
I am.
Yours sincerely,
(Signed) W. L. Warren.
The Honourable
T. H. WHITEHEAD.
Hongkong, 12th September, 1931. DEAR CAPTAIN WARREN,
Your letter of 9th iust, duly reached me, in which you intimated that His Excellency the Governor desired you to acknowledge re- ceipt of my communication of 7th idem: I beg to express my thanks for His Excellency's reply, and may be permitted to remark that the correspondence on these public questions, which deeply concern the interests of the community, can scarcely be regarded as private. I propose in due course to forward a copy of the letters to the local press for publication, for the information of the members of the Hong- kong General Chamber of Commerce whom I try to represent,
I remain.
Yours very truly,
(Signed) T. H. WHITEHEAD. Captain W. L. WARREN, R.A,
Private Secretary,
Government House.
Colonial Secretary's Office,
3rd September, 1901. STR-I am directed by the Governor to in- form you that His Excellency having considered very carefully the terms of the resolution con- cerning the office of Director of Public Works, of which you gave notice at the last meeting of Legislative Council, has come to the conclusion that it is not in order and cannot be submitted to the Legislative Council.
There was the collapse or tumbling down of Nos. 32 and 34, Cochrane Street on the night of 14th ult., which resulted in the death of forty-three persons and injury to many others. In regard to the latter collapse and the consequent deplor- able loss of life, an enquiry under Ordinance No. 7 of 1889 was held at the Magistracy, but the said enquiry, as reported in the local press; cannot be regarded as in any sens complete or satisfactory, while the Magistrate's decision appears to me to be equally, incomplete and unsatisfactory. The enquiry has failed to show who is responsible for the jerry-building or the faulty construction of the said two houses, the collapse of which entailed the loss of forty-three lives? It seems to me that your Excellency | The Honourable would do well to cause the enquiry to be re- opened with the object of getting at the real facts and the primary cause of the collapse of the two houses, also of ascertaining the person or persons responsible for the grievous loss of forty-three lives.
Will your Excellency kindly cause me to be furnished with a copy of the Magistrate's decision in question instead of my having to wait for it until the next meeting of Council?
The local conditions speaking generally are undoubtedly exceptional, and in many respects far from satisfactory. In addition to the preceeding facts, it appears to me that there are other good and sound reasons which would fully justify the Colonial Government urging by telegram on the Secretary for the Colonies the imperative necessity of now securing and appointing a thoroughly experienced officer, first-class in every respect and of considerable professional standing, to take charge of the Public Works Department and of the ever increasing duties devolving on that Department in respect of roads, streets, buildings, sewerage, water-works, reclamations, and the many im- portant public works now in progress and in comtemplation, connected with the sanitation of the Colony. In consequence of the general increase in wages and the substantial increase in the cost of living which have recently taken place in Hongkong, I respectfully submit that a thoroughly efficient and capable officer cannot now be obtained at the salary of the office hitherto paid.
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Yours very truly,
(igned) T. H. WHITEHEAD,
Sir HENRY A. BLAKE, G.C.M.G.
His Excellency,
Government House, Hongkong, 9th September, 1901,
DEAR ME. WHITHEAD,
H.E. the Governor desires me to ac- knowledge the receipt of your letter of 7th inst., in reply to his letter of the 5th inst. His Excellency wishes me to say that it would be inconvenient to deal with the matters men-
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I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant,
(Signed) C. Clementi,
Acting Clerk of Councils.
T. 11. WHITEHEAD,
Hongkong, 7th September, 1991.
DEAR SIR,
271
Council, and it is not competent for an unofficial member to propose a resolution to the Legisla tive Council involving expenditure of revenue.
2. In reply to the second paragraph of your letter, I regret that my letter of the 3rd instant › was marked confidential by a clerical error,
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) C. CLEMENTI,
Acting Clerk of Councils.
The Honourable
T. H. WHITEH KAD.
BOXING.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY 'FRESS,'
Hongkong, 20th September. SIR, The enclosed clipping might be of interest seeing that so much money is talked of between local sports and our recent pugilistic visitors, Messrs. McAuliffe and Slavin, and so much" big talk" has emanated from the first named gentleman.-Yours, etc.,
"STOÙSH."
(Enclosure)
35
Hard-up pugs should go to India, where Jack McAuliffe and Jack Slavin are taking that benighted country down in a most brazen fashion. A Singapore correspondent sends # card announcing McAuliffe "Champion Light-weight of America and Australia," and Jack Slavin “Middle-weight Champion of Australia." McAuliffe was never within speaking distance of the Austral light- weight supremacy, and never even saw the America of which he is represented champion. The Yankee Jack McAuliffe was quite another pusson. Jack Slavin has not been visible in Australia for at least 10 years, and was shooed off the middle-weight premiership over and over again When someone asked pertinent questions as to whether McAuliffe was himself or the other McAuliffe, a letter appeared in the Singapore Free Press offering to forfeit 1,000 dollars to any local charity named by the municipal president if his (Mc.'s) bona fides could be impugned. Meanwhile, the two beauties were fighting matches and return matches" all over the country and living, in the best pubs. at top tariff. Bat there is no word of the 1,000 dollars being deposited in the municipal president's hands. Sydney
Bulletin, 31st August.
I have been favoured with your letter No: 28 of 3rd inst., in imating that you are directed by the Governor to inform me that His Excellency, having considered very carefully the terms of the Resolution concerning the office of Director of Public Works, of which I gave notice at the last meeting of the Legisla tive Council, has come to the conclusion that it is not in order and cannot be submitted to the Legislative Council. I beg to ask whether His Excellency objects to the principle of the resolution or merely to the wording thereof. If the latter will you be so good as to let me know what modification of its terms would ron- der it in order in the opinion of the President || of the Council?
In the
I observe that you have marked your com. munication confidential which I presume has been done in error, as the same cannot be regarded as in any sense confidential. public interests I have given notice of a Reso- Intion, but it appears I am to be debarred from bringing the resolution forward in Council. The Members of the Chamber of Commerce whom I try to represent are surely entitled to know the ruling of the President of the Coun-; cil on the point, and I shall be glad to learn has crept into that the word “confidential' your letter by mistake.
Yours truly,
(Signed) T. H. WHITEHEAD, C. CLEMENTI Esq..
Acting Clerk of Councils.
Colonial Secretary's Office, 11th September, 1901. SIR,-In reply to your letter of the 7th inst., I am directed by the Governor to inform you that, while His Excellency is at one with you as to the advisibility of appointing an experi- enced officer of considerable professional stand- ing, such appointments are in the hands of the Secretary of State and not of the Legislative'
THE INTERPORT MATCHES.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS.
Hongkong, 25th September. SIR--May I suggest to the Committee of the Hongkong Cricket Club to charge an admission fee on all non-members availing themselves of the use of the matshed which it is proposed to erect in connection with the Such is done by the Interport Matches ? Football Club, the V. R. C., &c., and the fees would defray part of the cost of the matshed.
- Yours, etc.,
A MEMBER.
"
D
TO THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS,
Hongkong, 26th September. SIE-May I be permitted to publish a emphatic objection to the letter of "Member " who kindly suggested that the Cricket Club should charge a fee for non-members using th matshed at the coming Interport Matches. Because the Football Club has the effrontry to charge 50 cents for a seat at an ordinary match,. it is no reason why the Cricket Club should descend to such a level on the occasion of such
interesting events as the Interport matches. Of the several parts in the East where sports are encouraged for the love and enjoyment of the thing, Hongkong is, I think, the only place where spectators are left unprovided with seats unless they are prepared to pay for them, and where amateur Clubs raise a revenue by running a "gate." As a member and on behalf of the public generally, I hope such a proposition will not be considered by the H.K.C.C.—Yours, etc.,
ANOTHER MEMBER,
It is reported that the French Government has purchased one of the hotels at Macao, which will be used as a naval hospital The same building, we believe, was also offered to the British and American Governments.
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