Page
September 7, 1903.]
all, the disease is not so infectious and virulent as it was thought to be. The whole Colony ought to feel grateful His Excellency for having risked his own life to seek further light on a disease which is mysterious to the world, and the Sanitary Board ought to take a lesson from what His Excellency has done and substitute fresh methods on the lines indicated by His Excellency for those which have cost the Colony so much money and inflicted so much hardship without any beneficial result.
During the last ten years measures for com- bating plague have been numerous, varying from time to time; theory bas been experi- mented at considerable cost, loss and suffering to the people, and large sums of money bare been spent for limewashing, disinfecting and fumigating purposes, yet, as far as the disease is concerned, our position to-day cannot be said to be better than what it was ten years go. If these sums, together with those equally large that the people have been compelled to spend under the pressure of the Sanitary Board. had been accama'ated, they would amount to millions, which might have been available for the general improvement of the Sanitary condition of the Colony by relieving overcrowd. ing and removing the slums from our midst Have the sanitary authorities ever paused to think why the disease has successfully baffled their efforts towards its mitigation? I should say no. They have obstinately adhered to their pre-conceived views and looked upon every suggestion contrary to their ideas and the groaning of the people consequent upon the drastic measures adopted by them as opposition and obstruction. It may be said that the fai'ure of their efforts is due to the scant knowledge they have of the dis ase and to want of co-operation on the part of our Chinese fellow-citi ens But as regards the latter, I don't think we should have any reason to complain. Those in whose hands the enforcement of the sanitary laws are entrusted have never taken the trouble to explain things fully to the Chinese, nor have they treated them with such sympathy, and consideration as would induce their co-operation. By their arrogant and stoic attitudes, they have instilled fears into the Chinese minds.
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As fitly observed by you in your leading article published on the 5th instant "ignorance on the side of the natives and too little sympathy on that of the authorities are the chief obstacles in the way of successful co-operation with the view to fighting plague!" The Chinese are not at all averse to any reasonable and sensible measures for promoting the general welfare of the public when they thoroughly understand what they are and if it is within their means to carry them out. The appointment of street committees (kaifong) in their own country is responsible for the successful carrying ont of almost all the public functions of the Chinese. It is a very good means to sadure the co-operation of the lower strata of the population, with which the rulers are generally too proud to deal direct.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
HONGKONG HOTEL CO., LD.
The following directors to be presented at the ordinary the report of the board of meeting of shareholders, to be held at the Company's Hotel, at noon, on Monday, the 7th September:--
Some may reason that why Sir Henry Blake has been so successful in securing the co-opera- tion of the coolie class is bocuse His Excellency is the Governor and his influence ag such is bound to carry weight. This is true to a certain extent. But at the same time it must be borne in mind that should Sir Henry
Chinese approach the
with the same indifference, harshness, and arrogance as some of the officers of the Sanitary Board u-ed to, His Excellency would not have been so successful, even though be is the Governor. Sympathy and consideration go a long way in winning over the hearts of the poor and ignorant. Thanking yon for the insertion of this-Yours, etc.,
PRO-SANITATION.
Gentlemen, The directors now beg to sub- mit their report for the half-year ended the 30th June, 1903.
ACCOUNTS.
The profit on working account amounted to $132,01.17, as compared with $116,370.94 for the corresponding period of 1902, being an increase of $15,645.23.
The profit and loss account, including the sum of $272.09 brought forward from 31st December, 1902, shows a credit balance of $126,659.41, which your directors propose to apportion as follows:-
lo pay a dividend of 12 per cent... $72,000.00 | To write off from valne of furniture
10,000.00
and fixtures
To transfer to repairs and renewals
account
To transfer to a special reserve fund against cost of installation of the electric light To write off from value of steam
launch
The Shanghai Times considers that the cholera in the Shanghai shipping community is probably due to the use of native ice. It seems that the Poyang was carrying native ice on her fatal trip.
To carry forward to new account
ELECTRIC LIGHT.
Forward
Sundry debt018
Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Cor.
_poration....
181
0.
.9,000,00 41,430.02
3,705.42
3,691,8) 231.27
$1,116,915,47
Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Cor
poration, No. 2 account.. Cash in hand
To
PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT, For the six months ending 30th June, 1903. Dr.
To bad debts and refunds... To Crown rent 'l'o rates
To fire insurance
debentures-interest
$500,000
To lens returned on debentures held by the Company..
To directors' and `auditors' fees...
To balance to be appropriated as follows:-
To pay a dividend of 12 per
$
C.
282.00
$78.90
2,832.38
2,383.50
on $ c. 15,000,00
7,575.00
7,425.00 3,277.00
0.
cent.
72,000.00
To write off furniture anl fix-
tures
10,000,00
10,000.00
To transfer to repairs and re-
newals account
10,000,00
To transfer to a special re-
20,000.00
1,000 00 13,659.41
$126,659.41
It is hoped the entire building will be furnished with the electric lig t quite early next year. The directors have thought it advisable to recommend the transfer of $20.000 of the profits to a special roserve fund to meet part of the cost of the installation.
DIRECTORS.
Mr. R. C. Wilcox retires by rotation, but offers himself for re-election. Mr. Edward Osborne has been granted twelve months' leave of absence.
In 1901 there were between 5,000 and 6,000 Japanese resident in Fusan, Corea. Since the construction work on the Seoul-Fusan Railway has been taken in hand there has been a remark- able expansion, for in Fusan at the present time there are over 11,000 Japanese.
AUDIT.
The accounts have been audited by Messi's. H. U. Jeffreys and A. R. Lowe, who offer themselves for re-election.
W. PARFITT, Chairman. Hongkong, 31st August, 1903.
The accounts are as follows:
BALANCE-SHEET, at 30th June, 1903.
Capital-
LIABILITIES,
12,000 shares at $5^oach (fnl'y paid-ny).....$500,00 1.00
1,000 mortgage debentures
authorised is-nel at $50- cach
.$50 1,000.00 Less 475 ditto, held by the Ca. 237,500.00
Reserve fund. Sundry oroditors
Unclaimed dividends..
Repairs and renewals account-balance
as per statement
262,50 400 140,000,0
22,552.99
3,681.00
1,522.07
126,659 41
$1,11 15.47
la-t rep
ort:
Profit and loss account bilance as per
statement
ASSETS.
Value of lud and building as per
Marine Lot No. 5 and R main- ing Portion of Marie Lot No. 3 Remaining Portion of Marine
Lot No. 7
Praya Reclamation...
$372,045.60
368,108.20 21 291.77
New Building on Reclamation to Marine
Lot No. 7, payments on account......... Cost of 3 Chinese houses on Soc.,
B. C. & D) of Inland Lot No. 80 Value of furniture and fixtures
as per last account Less written off, as recom-
mended in last report
Since ad led
-$781,445.57
91,767.0)
23,000.0)
$89,850.75
10,000,00
$79,850.75 6,346.92
86,197.67
Btook of linen, crockery and glassware, &c. 47,157 50 Stock of wines, provisions, household
sundries, and stationery
Shares in public companies, as per last
account Licenses attaching to half-year ending 31st Fire insurance
December, 1903 Value of steam launch as per
do.
last scoouut
do
1
Loss written off, as recommended
in last report......
33,817.94
6,286.31
698.82 2,506,84
$10,000.00
1,000.00
serve fund against cost of installation of electric light 20,000,00
To write off steam launch To carry forward to new ac-
count
Cr.
By balance brought forward,
1,000.00
13,659.41
126,659.41
$143,319.09
0.
31st December, 1903 $93,272,09 Less dividen i at 12
per cent. declared
13th March, 19:3 $72,000,00 Less transfer to re- pairs & renewals account
10,000.00
Less written off fur-
niture & fixtures 10,000.00 Lege written off
steam launch
By rents of shops and offices,
old building
By rents of shops and offices,
new building
1,000,00
93,000,00
272,00
$6,600.00
2,550,00
9,150.00
466.25
53.00
3.56
1,358.02
By Jividends on sharos in public companies By scrip and transfer foos
By bad debts recovered...
By interest account
By profit on hotel working account for the
"six months ending 30th June. 1903...... 132,016,17
$143,819.09
REPAIRS AND RENEWALS ACCOUNT For the six months ending 30th June, 1903,
Dr.
To payments on account of repairs and re- nowals during the half-year ending 30th June, 1903
To balance, as per balance sheet
Cr
By transfer from profit and loss account,
as recommended in last report
HONGKONG COTTON
C.
8,477.93 1,522.07
$10,000.00
0.
10,000.00
SPINNING,
WEAVING AND DYEING
CO., LD.
The following is the report for presentation to shareholders at the sixth ordinary meeting to be held at the offices of the general managers on Monday, 14th September, at 11.30 am.:-
The General Managers beg to submit a statement of accounts covering the period from 1st August, 1902. to 31st July, 1903.
After deducting $50,000 paid as interim dividend the balance at credit of profit and loss account is $121,121.55, which it is proposed to appropriate as follows:
To pay a final dividend of 6 per cent.
making 10 per cent. for the year $75,000.00 35,000.90 To write off property account To carry forward to credit of next
year's account
11,121.55
$121,121:55
CONSULTING COMMITTEE.
On returning to the Colony Bir C P. Chater, C.M.G., resumed his seat on the Committee. Mr. A. Haupt resigned on leaving for home, 2,000.00 and Mr. A. G. Wood was invited to fill the