A
396
KING'S PARK, KOWLOON:
A WAR DEPartment oBSTRUCTION.
The laying out of King's Park, Kowloon, is "hanging fire on account of the War Depart ment stubbornly refusing to accept a fair offer from the Colonial Office, "Reasonable compensa- tion for relinquishing certain lands in the vicinity of that little hill overlooking Hunghom Bay has been rejected. At the time King's Park was presented to the Colony-when Major- General Sir William Gascoign was acting as Governor during the absence of Sir Henry Blake -certain boundaries enciroling some 100 acres were drawn out. No one gave a thought to the War Department raising an objection to handing over, for suitable compensation, apparently waste lands. The boundaries were mapped out as follows:-The range of hills running from the Glassworks, Austin Road and the sea, the Police rifle-range, the rifle-butts. Now, how- ever, it is neither decided what extent the park is to cover, nor what lines are to be its boundaries. One would think the War Department is regard. ing its own side of the question without con- sidering the Colony. It is unwilling to conbeds for fair terms a piece of property in significant from a strategical point of view The reason why this and other questions are not considered for the best interests of the Colony by the Colonial Office and War Depart ment conjointly is hard to say. If the action of the War Department is persisted in, it will not only greatly depreciate the concession as a park, but it may continue to retard the progress of the laying out for a considerable time.
A new road, connecting Yaumati and Hung- hom, is being constructed through the park. A large number of coolies and load carriers had been noticed crossing the fields between Yau- mati and Hunghom, so when the park was decided on an artery was deemed necessary. The Public Works Department have the work well in hand, the course being already cut out. It is being so arranged that the beauty of the park will be interfered with a little as possible. The road will make it practically impossible to close in the park, so, more than probably, the park will be surrounded by a simple boundary. This arrangement will ne- cessitate a stiff of keepers to relieve each other
be 03 th level. Its width will be 100 feet; the centre only, however, will be metalled with granite. By this new thoroughfare Hongkong and Hunghom will be brought much nearer each other. It will be finished in a few
months.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[November 30,[1903.
to be done about water is hard to say.¡ Maru and'Rohilla Maru, old P. & O. steamers, Water certainly is a very essential thing for simply eat" coal. This expense must certainly gardening purposes. A fountain and pond would take a big slice out of their earnings. The greatly add to the effectiveness of the scenery. China Navigation Co., Id, were the first Then again there are all kinds of objections to cut passage freight down to a reasonable raised on the grounds of still water breeding figure. Thirty-five dollars return (first mosquitoes. How this question is to be settled class), is within the means of many a it is hard to say. Large tracts of open space tripper who would otherwise have to spend will be cleared for the Chinese. No doubt this his holiday at home. Steamers of that will have a healthy effect; it will also be greatly union known as the U. S. Mail lines carry ja appreciated. The rifle butte, now situated on leal of freight, etc., from Manila to Hong- the ground, are to be removed near the vicinity kong. This, of course, has mad+ "a big hole' of Kowloon City. Altogether King's Park will in the cargo supply of smaller steamrs. True, be a great boon. Surely, too, it will be an the local steamers get pretty well filed up in attraction to Hongkongites to move their Hongkong. If they could only fill up over residences over the water. It would not be safe, the water it would mean a drop in the freights hough, to even make a wide guess as to when at this port. Manila sends as little or no- it will be completed.
thing except В faw cigars. The hemp is, for a great part, exported direct to its destination. The fact of Hongkong being one of the bases for supplying the Philippines with food, moreover, puis up the price of food at Hongkong far beyond what one would imagine.
LICENSING SESSIONS.
The Justices of the Peace assembled at the Magistracy at 2.15 p.m. yesterday to cousider an application for a publican's licence, and threa
applications for adjunct licences. Mr. J. H. Kemp presided. The Justices present were Captain F. W. Lyons (Acting Captain Superintendent of Police), Messrs F. Browne, G. T. Veitch, A. Shelton Ho per, D. Clark, R. H. Craig, and C. A. D. Melbourne.
HONGKONG
NURSING
INSTITUTION.
ANNUAL MEETING.
The annual meeting of the Hongkong Nursing James D. M. Cameron applied for a publican's Institation was held at the City Hall on the 20th licence in respect of the Occidental Hotel," inst. Dr. F. O. Stedman presided, and there were at 39, Elgin Road, Kowloon. Mr. Kemp, say.
also present--Lady Goodman, Mrs. Siebs, Mrs. ing there were no police objections, and that C. A Tomes, Mrs. C. W. Dickson, Mrs. the names of the householders were acceptable, H. W. Slade, Mrs. Turner, Mrs. M. W. Slade, moved the application be granted, and this was agreed to.
George James Clarke, of the "Connaught House Hotel," Queen's Road Central applied for
Mrs. Stedman, Mrs. Atkinson, Mrs. Bateson Wright, Mrs. Stephens, Mrs A: H. Liuse, Mrs. Lyons. Dr. Jordan, aud Mr. Fraser.
The minutes of the last meeting were confirmed.
an adjunct licence. Included in the names of the householders was that of Chan A Fook, of
The CHAIRMAN said-Ladies and gentlemen, Messrs. Watkins and Co. Mr Sh-lton Hooper the report of our last year's work is before asked if Messrs. Watkins supplied liquor to the you, so that there is no need for me to read applicant. Both Mr. Clark and Mr. Chan A it. I am sorry to say that it is not quit· so Fook we'e absent. Mr. Shelton Hooper favourable as that which we were able to put said he thought they ought to treat the before you last year. application in the same way as those at the although we used our subscriptions for current are only $140 to the good. Annual Sessions of the Justice; it was great expenses
three chief have not boen
we
disrespect to the Justices to be asked to con- For this there
First,
are
nurses our
You will 100 that
causes
tinue
quita the application when the applicant did not atte d. Mr. Clarke then walked in, as much engaged as last year, and there- been rather loss. and, in answer to Mr. Kemp, said that Messrs. fore their earnings have Watkins and
I think there were about twenty days at Company did not supply on day and night watches. Still, however, the liquor to the applicants. A proposal that the least, and as they earu about $5 a day that fact of the park being open is un ikely to application be granted was agreed to.
makes us about $.00 short on the year's make extraordinary vigilance necessary; the Richard Francis Daly.
There was a great demand for Oyster Bar and working. Botanical Gardens here are only surrounded R-staurant," 51 Des Voeux Road, applied for au
nurses and in fact there have been ti ues when by an easily surmountable railing, yet the adjunct licence.
Mr. Kemp read & portion we could have employed three, peruaps four valuable shrubs, etc., are never destroyed or of a letter from Mr. L. Comar, who nurses; but, on the other hand, in a small com- stolen at night time. A large nnllah of ma-objected to the licenca being granted, muuity like this, there were times when both sonry and concrete is being constructed ou saying the increased opposition would injure the nurses were idle. They have their salaries the nor h side of the road. It will replice that bis usiness.
After considering the matter just the same and are a heavier expenss to na malodorous stream of stagnant pools 80
in private Mr. Daly was called in and told that then, because we have to pay for their_board aunoying to passers-by in that vicinity, the Justices had decided to refuse his applica when they are not at someone's house. There- Draining and levelling work is being carried tion.
Mr. Daly explained that he had to send fore, the earnings of the institute are less. on in various directions. The road itself will
to another hotel daily for liquor for his guests; Second, the nurses are receiving some increase he was money out of pocket by it. He had been in salary each year they remain with us, and manager of the Kowloon Hotel for some three thirdly, owing to the lowassa in exchange, it years. It was explained to him that the ap- has cost us considerably more to pay their plication for the licence was not refused on salaries, sering that they are paid in sterling. account of the character of his house or himself, Next year the agreements of the two nurses we but on accou it of the locality; on the ground, have at present terminate, and they have both in fact, that the house was not necessary.
decided to return to England, so that we have John Anderson, of the "Happy Valley Retreat to face the cost of paying half their passages Restaurant," withdrew his applicatio 1 for au home and also the cost of two outward passages adjunct licence.
for two nurses to replace them, and to do this we shall have to draw at any rate temporarily on our guarantee fund. We had hoped that we should have been able to reserve our annual How there is room for so many steamers on subscriptions for this purpose, but as you have the Hongkong-Manila rau is a matter for seen this last year we have only a surplus of conjecture. The China & Manila 8.8. Rubi $140. Our agreement with these two nurses arrived from Manila on the 24th with two tons was that, if they stayed five years, they should of cargo. The Indo China 88. Loongsang, a have their whole passage money home, and if freighter of no meau dimensions, arrived the same they remained only three years we were only day with thirty tons only. The China and Manila liable to pay half the passage money. We 8.8. Perla arrived from Iloilo in ballast a few feel very strongly that the subscription should days ago. Nor, indeed, have the Rosetta Maru, not be increased, because it is not right to ex the Rohilla Maru or China Navigation steamers pect a comparatively few subscribers to keep the been loaded below their Plimsoll marks. In fact, Institution going for the benefit of the Colony, to sum up the situation in a nutshell, the but we do think that many more persons ought "ferry" steamers on the Hongkong-Manila to be willing to subscribe to i since it is for the ran practically travel one way in balast every good of all, and any oue may at any time be voyage. At a recent meeting of a public com- taken ill and require the services of a trained pany the Hon. R. Shewan made a remark about nurse. Last year there were only 45 subscribers, our allies" taking our trade away. Japanese and I am sure you will agree with me that there officers, executive and engineer, are certainly a must be many more persons who should be cheap article. On the other hand the Rosetta interested in trying to keep this Institution în
All kinds of measures are to be taken for the promotion of sport. There will probaby be cricket, football, hookey, polo, and ten. is grounds. The Bowling Club at present hold a position on the site of the now park. It is hardly possible to tara them out; nobody, anyway, would desire to do so.. A bowling green, moreover, would hardly be practicable unless run by a club. An ida favourably received by those interested in the construction of the park is that & bicyule track should be constructed around the football and cricket fields. Such a thing has in many instances been found a great snocess at home. The question is whether col nists in these parts take great interest in oycling. Cycling races, no doubt, would be an attractive feature at various sinual sports. With all these facilities for taking exercise there must certainly be some place provided for the purchase of light refresh ments. A good idea would be to erect a pavilion; the right of selling refreshments could be let by Lender Carriage drives are to be constructed through the prettiest parts of the park. The beauty of the grounds will be greatly promoted yb shrubberies and flower Beds. What is
THE HONGKONG-MANILA RUN.
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