3
*
September 8, 1902.]
lay to be unearthed by future explorers. The dry sands of the desert have preserved in an extraordinary degree such perishable materials as woodwork and plaster, even the colours of the ancient mural decorations
|
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE ANGLO-CHINESE COM-
MERCIAL TREATY.
PAPERS.
179
The C. LONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table a paper on Sanitation, an extract of the City of Bombay Improvement Act, 1898, also the Act itself, and a report on the sewerage and drainage of Hongkong. The information with explained was given in answer to a question put regard to the Bombay Improvement Act, he on the 4th of June on behalf of Hon. T. H. Whitehead relative to the resumption insanitary properties in Bombay.
HOUSE-COLLAPSES.
of
Hon. G. W. F. Playfair formally put the question which stood against his name on the agenda paper.
The question wes:- -With reference to the Hongkong and Kowloon and consequent deplor- recent collapses of newly erected houses in both
able loss of life, what steps have.the Govern ment taken to fix the responsibility? Will the Government take steps to license contractors under bond or otherwise? Will the Government state what the regulations are as to public
quiries being held into accidents such as these? Will the Government table a return showing the number of houses which have collapsed this year with fatal results and giving the owners' name, the architects' names, the contractors' names, aud date of erection ?
(Daily Press, 5th September.) In the absence of detailed news from appearing in their original tints, while Shanghai with regard to the Anglo-Chinese fragments of Buddhist texts on bark, skin, commercial treaty it is difficult to make out or wood held out to hope that a rich the exact curse which events have taken reward awaited the future explorer., Tieut. during the past few days, and comment BOWER's original discovery had awakened therefore has seemed superfluous. REUTER'S the interest of the Indian Government as telegrams have brought us what little in- to the possibilities of the light likely to be formation has reached Hongkong with cast on early Indian history by these dis-reference to the treaty. From these it coveries, in countries known in the earlier appears that after Sir JAMES MACKAY and ages to have been in close touch with Indian the Chinese coumissioners had arrived at an rule and Indian religious cult. Accordingly understanding the terms of the agreement in June, 1900, Dr. STEIN, who had been were sent to Peking and on the 29th ultimo, engaged on topographical and archæological the Imperial approval was telegraphed to work in Kashmir and elsewhere, and whose Shanghai. It was then expected that the scholarly work Chronicles of the Kings of treaty would be signed on the next day, the Kashmir shows that he was in every way 30th ultimo, to come into force on the last fitted for the work of exploration, was day of October. Thus all seemed settled. placed by the Indian Government ou special REUTER'S despatch of the 31st August duty, and directed to explore Chinese announced the publication of an Imperial Turkestan, more especially the districts decree abolishing lekin. Later on the same about Khoten, A preliminary report day, however, the same agency announced recently issued gives an account of what he that the treaty bad not been signed on the
The COLONIAL TREASURER-The replies to was able to accomplish. Fortunately the 30th, Sir JAMES MACKAY refusing to sign is about to hold enquiries into several of the col- the questions are:-(1) The Police Magistrate Chinese officials in the district, when he owing to certain indefiniteness in the word-lapses that were attended with loss of life; the referred to the travels of the old Buddhist ing of the Imperial decree. The terms of Crown Solicitor will appear on behalf of the monk YOEN CHWANG, of which most of the treaty, explained the telegram, were not Crown. (2.) The Government does not con- them had some idea, were led to take a questioned, but the matter was simply one sider it practicable to license contractors, personal interest in the work and seemed to of interpretation of the treaty. In to-day's because it is only in exceptional cases that have given him every facility. He was thus issue appears a telegram from London, which Chinese contractors possess such trainings able to explore the sites of several of the states that the following is quoted in the
as would justify the issue of licences. Owners buried cities lying between Khoten and Peking Gazette as part of the edict :---
of property should be guided by the advice of their architects in selecting a contractor, As Cherchen, and to fill twelve large boxes
Lekin will be abolished when all the with articles of archeological interest, foreign governments have agreed to the tender only. (3.) There are no regulations on a rule they seem to be guided by the lowest including relieves, frescoes, painted tablets, proposed increase in the import and the subject, but Ordinance 17 of 1888, Section 6, manuscripts, and other remains of ancient export duties.' As the two measures were provides that in cases of sudden or violent death Central Asian art, as well as a series of intended to balance each other and the the magistrate may, if he considers an enquiry anthropological measurements of the present Chinese government has given its sanction to be necessary, enquire into the cause of death inhabitants of these little known lands. to the treaty it might have been supposed by either with or without a jury, and make such When it is remembered that these lands those unacquainted with China that definite
order with regard thereto as he shall consider were the original home of the famous
terms had been arrived at,
necessary. (4.) The return is laid on the table. Those who are This return has only just been received from the FRANGACYAN, who with his brothers acquainted with Chinese methods, on the printers, and has notyet been revised. A revised CAIRIM and ERIJ were the eponyms of the other, will exhibit no surprise. It would copy will be furnished as soon as it is received. three great branches of the Indo-Germanic be satisfactory, nevertheless, to learn from peoples, the Turaniau, Sarniation, and Aryan Shanghai what exactly happened during respectively, it will be readily seen that the the last days of August, exploration of these ancient fertile lands, [Our Shanghai correspondent has since now the seat of howling deserts, must have graphed that the treaty was signed on the night assault case before the Police Magistrate on 5th
of the 5th inst.-Ed. D.P.]
$6
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
tele.
held on the 3rd inst. in the Council Chamber. A meeting of the Legislative Council was
Present:-
for us personally a great and special interest. Recently the connection of the old Turanians with the Turkish stock, generally current only a generation ago, is being seriously called in question; while on the other hand the former extension into these regions of the Gothic tribes is being rendered more and more certain. In HIS EXCELLENCY THE OFFICER ADMINIS such a case the suggestion that FRAN-TERING THE GOVERNMENT, Major-General Sir GRACYAN was in reality the eponym of the W. GASCOIGNE, K.C.M.G. (Commanding the Frankish tribes, is deserving of a hearing.
Troops). In any case there is much to be learned from a close study of the old manuscripts and inscriptions obtained; and it is to be hoped that the Indian Government, having once put its hand to the plough, will not fail to carry out the exploration so well begun to the end.
Dr. Solf, Governor of Samon, who reached Singapore by the Prinz Regent Luitpold, intends to visit several Chins coast ports as well as Hongkong. He will also pay a visit to the Sunda Archipelago for a minute investiga- tion of the practicability of sending Chinese coolies to Samos. It now transpires that the matter has assumed another phase, as the Samoa Company has taken it in hand and intands to transport to Upolu from 30 to 400 Chinese; whereas Dr. Solf only had intended to make the first trial with about 60 Chinsmen, for which 15,000 mirks had been allowed by Government. There are a good many there who regard the undertaking with unfavourable eyes, fearing that the morals of the islanders might be contaminated by the Chinese.
Hon. F. H. MAY, C.M.G. (Colonial Secretary). Hon. Sir HENRY SPENCER BERKELEY, KNT.
(Attorney-General).
Hon. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer). Hon. Commander R. M. RUMSEY, R.N. (Harbour Master).
Hon. W. CHATHAM (Director of Public Works).
Hon. F. W. CLARK (Medical Officer of Health,)
Hon, Dr. Ho Kai, C.M.G. Hon. WEI A YUK. Hon. C. S. SHARP. Hon. C. W. DICKSON. Hon. G. W. F. PLAYFAIR. Hon. R SHEWAN.
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON(Acting Clerk of Councils).
FINANCIAL..
The COLONIAL SECRE ́ARY laid on the table Financial Minutes (Nos, 39 to 50) and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee. The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on the table the Report of the Finance Committee (No. 11) and moved its adoption.
The COLONIAL TREASUREE seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
INTEGRITY OF A PUBLIC SERVANT.
Ion. C. S. SHARP asked-Will the Honour- able Colonial Secretary inform the Council--(1.) Whether the attention of the Government has been drawn to the account of the hearing of an
instant; and (2.) Whether the Government proposes to take any action with reference to certain allegations in the evidence given in the said case, which bears npon the question of the integrity of a public servant?
The COLONIAL SECRETARY-The replies are as follows:--(1) Yes, it has been drawn ; (2) It is not proposed to take any action.
CHAIR-COOLIES.
Hou. R. SHEWAN åsked--Cau the Police not
can
take measures to prevent chair-coolies from deserting their chairs when most required on occasions such as the Coronation night, for instance? Are the chair-coolies allowed to leave their chairs lying anprotect dou the public street? If not, the Police not take the number of chairs so deserted and have the coolies belonging to such chairs punished by fine .or the licensee punished by forfeiture of his licence? If the Police have no power to do this, will the Government not bring in an Ordin- giving the Police such power? In view of the present great scarcity of chairs, will the Government not license a further large number of chairs either direct or through a contractor and continue to do so until the supply fully equals the demand? Can the Government not appoint stands for chairs and ricksbas and instruct the Police to prevent the coolies from leaving the stands without suffi- cient reason? If not, will the Government farm out all the chairs and rickshas to a con- tractor who could dep sit a sum of money as a guarantee for the good behaviour of the coolies?
anc9
The COLONIAL ŠECRETARY-Before I answer these questions, sir. I may state that I have answered them as far as I understood them. In some of them I do not exactly know what information the hon. member desires. The