October 6, 1902.]
it was, as their unworthy Vice-President he thanked them for the honour they had done him. (Applause.)
Mr. D. R. LAW moved the re-election of Mr. Andrew Forbes as Hon. Treasurer. He was sure they could go a long way and not get a better man. (Applause.)
Mr. J. MACDONALD seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
Hon. Mr. SHEWAN moved that Mr. David Wood be re-elected Hon. Secretary. He had the greatest respect for the President, Vice- President Treasurer, but as Mr. Gershom Stewart had remarked to him in entering the building it was the Secretary who was the mainspring of the whole business.
He was undoubtedly the most hard-working man of the whole crowd. He
was the fountainhead to whom you go when in a difficulty or when yon have IWO ladies to take across to Kowloon in R 88mpan on dark night. (Laughter.) There be secretaries and secre- taries, but he believed there was not anywhere a more d voted, more zoalons, or harder working secretary thau Mr. Wood. (Applause.)
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Mr. E. J. MAIN seconded, and motion was agreed to.
A ballot vote was afterwards taken for the election of five members of Committee, Messrs T-P. Cochran and P. Dow acting as scrutineers. The following were elected to the Committee:-Mr. W. Kidd, Dr. A.Rennie, Hou. G. W. F. Playfair, Mr. J. R. M. Smith and Mr. Gershom Stewart.
On the motion of the HON. SECRETARY, a vole of thanks was awarded the Chairman.
This ended the proceedings.
PORTUGAL'S ROYAL ANNIVERSARY.
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
January the musical comedy by W. S. Gilbert and Osmond Carr, His Excellency.
The only other date arranged so far is the visit of the Brough Company about the middle of February next, This will be the last visit of Mr. and Mrs. Brough to the Far East, as Mr. Brough intends to retire from the stage at the completion of bis season.
One or two other applications have, we under- stand, ben made for the nse of the Theatre, but no definite arrangements have been made beyond what we have mentioned.
ENQUIRIES INTO COLLAPSED HOUSES.
1
THE KOWLOON CITY ROAD CASE.
common
The official enquiry into the fatal collapse of houses Nos. 30 and 32, Kowloon City Road, 18th July last, was resumed on the 26th alt. before Mr. F. A. Hazeland and a jury. Mr. H. L. Solicitor, conducted the enquiry on behalf of Dennys, Acting Crown
the Government, and Mr. H. W. Looker, solicitor, watched the proceedings on behalf of the houses. of Messrs. Loigh and Orange, the architects
00
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1
255
criminally liable. It was not simply to ascer tain the cause of the deaths of these people, but whether their deaths were brought about by the criminal negligence of anybody, and whether steps could be taken to prevent such accidents in future.
Mr. Lookersubmitted that the present proceed- ings were quite different from ordinary Police published in the papers until the enquiry was Court proceedings, and that they should not be concluded, and then only if nobody was com- mitted for trial.
Mr. Dennys contended that the newspapers represented the public, and as the enquiry was a public one and everybody had a right to be there, no ré son existed why the proceedings should not be reported in the newspapers.
After farther argument on the same l'nes, his Worship remarked that such coroner's proceedings bad previously taken place before him had always been published, and he saw no reason to depart from that custom. Worship's hands.
Mr. Looker-I leave it entirely in your
His Worship-It is done in England every
day.
Mr. Looker suggested that a way out of the difficulty would be to bold the enquiry in private.
should make any order. years ing Bis Worship-No, I see no reason why I
Orange, said he had been over
R. K. Leigh, of the firm of Leigh and Hongkong either in Government service or on his own account. In the early part of 1901, on behalf of the Hongkong Laud Investmont Co., he prepared plans and called for tenders for the erection of 30 houses in Kowloon City Road, 15 houses on K.1.L. 1,107 and 15 on K.I.L. 1,108. Tenders were received by witness for the building of these houses, the figures ranging from $86,200 to $141,00; the Loong Cheong firm was amongst those which tendered, and the amount of its tender was $93,000. No
because the company instructed tender was accepted for these thirty houses, witness to prepare plaus for more on K.I.L. 1,118. It was ultimately agreed with the Loong Cheong firm that the whole fifty houses should be built for $115,000 and a contract w..s then eutered into between this firm and the Land In vestment Co. Witness knew Looug Cheong before this; he had done many big jobs for Leigh & range. His tender and those of others were by invitation, and were not public tenders. The necessary notice to the P.W.D. was duly sent in, and an acknowledgement was received from Mr. Tooker, pro. the D.P.W., approving the plans of the houses and authoris-
The anniversary of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Portugal fulling upon the 28th ult., Sr. Conselbeiro A. G. Romano, Consul- General for Portugal, held an "At Home" at his residence, "Duart," Arbuthnot Road, at 11 o'clock. There were many callers, inclu ling almost all of Mr. Romano's colleagues on the body consulate, aud the reception did not terminate until 1 o'clock, although noon had been the hour originally fixed upon. At 2 o'clock the Consul-General despatched a tele- gram to Count Arnoso, the King's Private Secretary, congratulating Their Majesties upon the anniversary. Yesterday morning a reply was received from Count Arnoso, thanking.ing the work. Mr. Romano in the name of the King and Queen for his felicitations.
As some statements have been made with regard to Sr. Conselheiro Romano's resignation of the chairmanship of the Club Lusitano a post which he, oue of the original founders of the Club, has long held, we may mention that he was practically obliged to adopt this course. It as beeu usual for the Club to decorate on the Royal Birthday and otherwise celebrate the occasion. This year (ou account it is said, of the friction arising over the new Press law in acao) theommittee decided Lot to observe the event in the wonted manner. Senhor Romano, the representative of His Majesty the King of Portugal, therefore felt it incumbent on him to dissociate himself from this line of action and resigned the chairman- ship of the Club.
COMING THEATRICAL
PERFORMANCES.
At the present moment there are not many dates fixed for the theatrical season at the Theatre Royal, City Hall, but enough is known to show that it will be an interesting one. It opened on Saturday night with the Neill-Frawley Company's performance of Secret Service, followed to-day Ly Lord and Lady Algy. After this, unfortunately, our American visitors leave us, with hopes, however, of a return after the New Year.
"
The examination being resumed, witness said that work on K.I.L. 1,107 was commenced first, shortly after 16th May, 1901; then followed in order work on Lots 1,18 and 1,118. He per- sonally inspected the work, and was satisfied with it. With Section 12, Sub-section 1 of the Building Ordinance, which provided that no wall should exceed 35 feet in length without the approval of the Director of Public Works, wit- ness was familiar. The length of the party and end walls of the houses in Kowloon City Road was 60 feet altogether, without return or cross walls; with return and cross walls the length was 45 feet 6 inches. Witness knew very well the provisions of the clause in the English Act of 1894, but he did not think that in the present case walls, because they exceeded 35 feet in length, required extra thickness. The height of the end walls aud party walls of these houses was 50 feet, measuring half-way up the gable, in accordance with the Building Ordinance of the Colony; the actual height, measuring to 55 feet. the top of the gable at its highest point, was
Mr. Dennys (quoting from the Ordinance)- The height of these end walls exceeds 40 feet, but does not exceed 50 feet, and they exceed 45
Witness Yes.
"
At this poiut Mr. Looker rose and objected to the publication of the proceedings in the news-feet in length? papers. I that morning's Daily Press there had been a long account of what had taken Continuing, Mr. Leigh said it was the case pused that the present proceedings would be it was enacted that the thickness of such walls place at the enquiry on Thursday, and he sup- that in the London Building Ordinance of 1594 reported as fully in the next issue of the shall be 214 inches for the height of one story, paper. It was not right and proper to so 17 inches for the height, of the next story, and report the proceedings, because the publication 13 inches for the rest of their height. The of the evidence might prejudios a jury. For his
Model Bye-laws of the local Government authority Mr. Looker referred his Worship to Board were to the same effect. Witness did Jervis on Coroners. The reason for which the not know whther all tho provincial bye-laws at enquiry was beld was to find out whether there home were based on the same principle. In was criminal liability on any body's part, and the case before the Court the thickness of the under these circumstances it was not right or end and party walls was shown on the plans to be proper that the evidence should be published in 18 inches on the ground floor and 14 inches ou the two upper floors, which was in accordance Mr. Dennys said he was not prepared for with the requirements of the Hongkong Build- this objection (His Worship-either was I)ing Ordinance. When witness sent in the plans and all ho could say was that it must be to the P. W. D, he did not specially call the within b's Worship's knowledge that in England attention of the D. P.W. to the length of these the fullest reports of the evidence taken at walls, as was required under Section 12, Sub- coroners' enquiries wore published every day in section. I of the Ordinance, and no special the newspape: 8.
This enquiry was just the approval was received from the D. P. W. with same as any ordinary Police Court proceedings regard to their length; witness did not consider in which a man was brought before bis Worship that any special approval was necessary. aud committed for trial at the Supreme Court. Such proceedings were constantly published
the newspapers.
in the
that a former D. P. W. refused to pass plans Mr. Dennys-Do you or do you not know showing walls exceeding 35 feet in length
Withers-I do-Mr. Ormsby. He refused because he declined to exercise the discretionary powers conferred upon him under the Ordin. &nce. The reason Mr. Ormsby gave was that be was within a year of his pension, and he declined to undertake any responsibili y. (Laughter).
preliminary ouquiries, and he thought that pers, although they were only Le benefit to be derived from au enquiry of this sort would be very greatly lessened if the nwspapers were to be forbidden to publish what took place. Of course, his Worship had full power to at any time forbid the publication of evidence that had been given before him or Proceeding, Witness said the Court in which of any statement made in Court, and if for any they were sitting exceeded the provisions of the reason he should see fit to order these proceed-Ordinance, in that, being 40 feet long, it exceeded the limit of 35 feet; further, it was twice as wide as any Chinese house, was two stories in height without a dividing floor, and
In the first or second week of November the Hongkong A.D.C. presents Liberty Hall, the prospects of which appear very bright. Then before Christmas the A.D.C. contemplates giving His Excellency the Governor, a comedyings not to be published, his Worship had full of a light description, which has been performed power to do so. The object of the present here by the Dallas Co.; and some time in enquiry was to ascertain whether anybody was