142
COURT WITNESSES AND THEIR RECOGNISANCES.
In one of the cases at the Criminal Sessions on the 18th inst, Dr. W. V. M. Koch of the Government Civil Hospital was called to give medical evidence and was not in attendance.
The Attorney-General said that in reply to the summons for Dr. Koch's presence as a witness he had received curt note from the hospital to the effect that Dr. Kooh had given evidence in this case already, that he had gone on a two days holiday, and would not return to the Colony fill Thursday morning. Now Dr. Koch was perfectly well aware that the prisoner had been committed for trial at these Sessions and he had apparently taken advantage of the rule in force at the Magistracy by which Government officers were apparently exempted from entering into recognisances to appear at the Court which all other witnesses had to enter into The only way of compelling a witness to attend was to bind him over to do so, and until he made enquiries at the Crown Solicitor he did not suppose for a
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
NOTES FROM THE, BOTANIC GARDENS.
with small flowers.
¦ August 24, 1903.
POLLARD COMEDY COMPANY AT
THE THEATRE ROYAL.
!
The Pollard Comedy Company put on one of their best pieces when they staged My Soldier months there are no better plants then the Mr. Edward Nable essayed the part of For a wealth of bloom during the summer Boy in the Theatre Royal on the 15th inst. Allamandas; in fact they may be had in flower Montague Mendle, a gentleman whose in- up 10 November. They may be either grown clinations in the matter of an avocation in pots or beds a circumstances permit, but favour the law, but whose interests make advis- whichever way is adopted they will well repayable the adoption of the profession that his any att ntion shown them. At the present time rich stepfather, Jonas Tottenham, has chosen for there are several plants in flower in both pots and him-that of a soldier. Mr. Nable's study of beds in the Gardens. Nearly all the Allamandas the part was a clever one, and made the solicitor- have yellow flowers and are natives of ropical soldier a character that unfailingly delighted South America. There are four species under
the audience. The role of the stepfather had cultivation in the gardens, viz., Allamanda excellent treatment from Mr. Harold Carr. Schotii and Allamanda Hendersoni with large Mr. Wentworth Watson had good scope as yellow flowers. Allamanda cathartica with Capt. Cecil Cullendar. Mr. Alfred Tullett, Mr. medium-sized flowers, and Allamandu neriifolia Percy Hadyn, and Mr. Merry Lynch, as colonel, lieutenant, and private, respectively, of the 12th Hussars, made the most of their opportunities. Lawrence in the character of Lydia (Mendle's Amongst the ladies of the Company, Miss Ada wife) proved herself an actress as capable as she is pany had lighter work to do, but they placed themselves beyond reproach by their con- tribution to the success of the whole cast. Miss Blanche Clements made a dignified Mrs. Morrison, Miss Grace Gale an attractive Miss Morrison, and Miss Eva McDonald a stylish servant of the accepted stage type. Miss Millie Ascoli and Miss Marjorie Tempest in- troduced agreeable variety in the form of a dance by the former and a song by the latter. The band of the Derbyshire Regiment played selections during the usual intervals.
"
Perhaps it may be interesting to note that the plant called by the Chinese
blue grass, and largely used for planting under trees and other shady places, is not a grass at all, but a liliaceous plant known under the hame of
moment that any exemption was made at the Ophiopogon japonicus. It is of great use for charming. The remaining ladies of the com-
Magistracy in respect of any witness. It was in. He was unable to call this witness who perfectly irregular and should not be persevered treated the deceased in hospital, and he was unable to forfeit his recognisances because he had none. He did not see why Government servants should not give their recognisances
to attend.
His Lordship directed Do Koch's name to be called three times in Court
This was done but there was no response.
The Attorney-General said he could hardly ask to have Dr. Koch's deposition read, because he did not think Dr. Kooh was absent from the Colony in the meaning of the Ordinance which allowed depositions to be read if the deponent was absent from from the Colony. He had gone apparently for a holiday jaunt to Macao.
His Lordship said it was an extremely improper proceeding on D. Koch's part.
The Attorney-General remarked that he could do nothing in the matter. He could not even ask his Lordship to fine Dr. Koch, because he had not been subpoenaed and was not under recognisances. He hoped the Magistrates would see in future that all witnesses for the rown and for the defence-were bound over to attend under recognisances. How the practice had crept in of exempting anyone it was hard to say. His Lordship said that everyone should be bound over to attend. Non-attendance of wit- nesses might lead to frustration of justice. In this case they had sufficient before them to know that the man injured was in hospital for six weeks and therefore must have sustained "grievous bodily harm as was charged in the indictment, but it was very important that they should know what the actual injury was. In that Court there had always been the greatest courtesy and consider.. tion shown to medical officers. Very often they were called when it was not quite convenient to call them, to suit their convenience, sooner than they would otherwise have been called, and they were very frequently allowed to go as soon as they had given their evidence; and the least that could be done was that proper respect should be shown to the Court by their attendance. They would wait and see what Dr. Koch had to say about it..
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The Attorney-General said that for the future if the Magistrates did not bind over the witnesses he would see that the Crown Solicitor aubpoenaed every witness who was not bound over. They could then bring them.
His Lordship I never gave any instructions. not to bind them over.
The Attorney-Genera added that until he heard that Dr. Koch was not present and intimated that he would call him under his recognisances, he was unaware of the fact that he had not been bound over.
His Lordship, in conclusion, said he would represent the matter to the Government and see whether any instructions had been issued, Probably the idea was that Government officers
lways here and would be always available. The case was then proceeded with.
HIM.8. Argonaut arrived on the 15th inst. phile HMS. Sirius left on from Weih the 16th inst
well in the snu as in the shade. It is a native covering bare patches and will thrive just as of North China and Japan, but varieti-s of it have been found in Kwangtung Provine. It is a general rule that in the most northern part of its range a species becomes more leafy but produces fewer or no flowers. This is the case with this species, which is used in London as a foliage plant for edging flower-borders. But it has also the interesting peculiarity that when artificially extended to the south of its range, as in Hongkong, it assumes the same flowerless habit and can be used for the same purposes as in England.
the
apex
the No. 3 house. This is Platyclinis glumacea, A very pretty orchid is now in flower in
a native of the Philippines, and is bearing 19 scapes of flowers. The scapes are produced at of the young pseudo-bulbs, and each bears about 70 flowers. The individual flowers are more than 4-inch across. and are borne distichously on the rhachis. They are at first light yellow in colour but afterwards become much darker, and as the scapes are recurved they made a very pretty effect.
The bed of Amaranthus mentioned three weeks ago continues to made a good show on the lower terrace. The variety-a better one than has been obtained hitherto from England-was discovered in a Chinese garden last year, and seeds from which the present plants were raised were presented to the Botanic Gardens by the
owner.
The rainfall for the month to date has been
7.29 inches.
THE TYPHOON UP THE COAST.
On Monday and Tuesday My Friend from India was the attraction, on Wednesday and Thursday a version of Charley's Aunt, and on Turned Up. Friday and Saturday, the closing nights,
THE NEW TERRITORY IN 1902.
H. E. THE GOVERNOR'S DESPATCH. The following despatch by H. E. the Governor forwarding to the Secretary of State for the Colonies the annual report on the New Territory for 1902 (which we reproduced last Monday) is published in the Gazette:-
Government House, Hongkong, 21st May, 1903. SIR, I have the honour to forward for your information a report on the New Territory, for the year 1902.
2. The reports forwarded with my previous despatches mentioned in the margin will have shown the steps taken from the hoisting of the British flag at Taipo on the 16th April, 1899. It will be remembered that on the taking over of the New Territory we found a population roused to a spirit of active antagonism by lying reports carefully disseminated apparently with the concurrence of the Chinese authorities. The attacks made upon our troops were easily defeated, and active hostilities ceased after two engagements, to be succeeded by a period of distrust, happily not of long duration.
The Foochow Echo of the 8th inst. says:-The typhoon telegraphed as passing up the coast, the centre on Wednesday being South of Formosa and moving W. N. W., must have struck the 3. The district of San On, North of Kowloon coast somewhere between Amoy and this port Peninsula, leased to Great Britain under the on Thursday morning. Our barometer had Convention of 1898, has not enjoyed a good been falling for 24 hours but the blow did not reputation. Armed robbery on shors and piracy commence until 10.a.m. on Thursday and gra- in the surrounding waters were too common to dually increased in force from N. E until mid-excite comment locally, powerful clans levied night. Then there was a brief lull, but this tribute from outlying cultivators, and settled was followed by a renewed burst from a new their differences with rival clans by a ready quarter, S.E., and a fall in the barometer from appeal to force without the intervention of any the improved marking of two hours previously, Chinese Official. Might was right, and during and there was some rain, The wind began to the journey through the district of Mr.Lockhart, moderate at 7 a.m. and a little after noon it then Colonial Secretary, after the suppression practically dropped. The force of the wind, of the outbreak, the small villages expressed a although strong enough to snap off trees and do hope that they would be protected against the damage to houses in exposed positions, was not bullying to which they were subjected by the considered violent, and the barometer did not larger villages.. fall below 29.40, while last week for the typhoon which had passed up north of us, it registered close on 29.30. Of course a complete stop was put to shipping and the departure of all the steamers in port delayed. At Pagoda Anchor- age it was, as usual in stormy weather, very rough indeed. Passengers who had left Foochow in the morning and got as far as Pagoda could neither get on board their steamers nor return, and had to run up creeks for protection. Some of the houses at Kuliang and Sharp Peak suffer- ed considerably.
4. The first thing to be done was to ensure peace and to generate as far as possible among the inhabitants a feeling of personal security. Military posts were established on the frontier and commanding positions, and Military and Police co-operated in a system of patrols. The location of permanent Police Stations was determined, each Station being connected with Hongkong by telephone, and the division of New Territory into districts undertaken. The Territory was divided into eight districts, which were subdivided into forty-seven sub-districts,
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