340
CANTON.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT,
Canton, 23rd April.
HEALTH AND DRAINAGE.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
WATER POLICE FOR THE I.M. CUSTOMS.
[May 2, 1904
accepted were not sound and not worth the price that was being paid for them. Several witnesses were examined, and stated that as a lot the thirty six mules were worth the price paid, an average of one hundred and fifty dollars each, as some were worth much more than that figure and others less.
The case was adjourned.
A PROPOSED PARK.
A steam launch was safely brought up from Hongkong the other day, our Harbour Master. Mr. E. Stevens, being in charge of the small craft, which proceeded under her own steam the whole way up.
In addition to ordinary Cus- toms purposes the IM. Customs will use this launch for police work, aided by a couple of The rains still continue, and cause a good deal gigs. Until recently the wily Chinese water of discomfort. The health of Canton is not, how-thief has pursued his nefarious calling unblush- ever, bad; no cases of plague have been reported, ingly, meeting with but little interference, and of making a park ont of the exposition grounds, The municipal board has taken up the matter and there is little, if any epidemic disease in the city. The general verdict of the doctors is that sufferers.
owners of cargo afloat have been considerable on Calles Padre Faura and Herran, Malate,
In future the new police will ap the year has so far been remarkably healthy. prehend any of the thieving fraternity or other insular Government. The insular Government which was proposed some time ago by the In Shameen, however, there has been a certain law-breakers that may come under their obser- amount of ill-health. Several cases of typhoid | vation, and ships' officers can also hand over offen- would maintain it as a park. The secretary of was willing to give the ground if the city fever and dysentery have been reported, and ders to their charge, knowing that they will be the board has been authorised to inform the septic throats and fever cases are of frequent sent to the proper authorities for punishment executive secretary that if the ground in ques- occurrence. This is attributed to the under- Consular warrants being first obtained when tion is to be devo ed to school purposes, the city ground drainage system, which is to be altered necessary. Any vessel desiring the assistance is willing to maintain a park about the build- during the year. The Municipal Council have of the Amoy Customs Water Police should flyings, but if the ground or any part f it is to decided to adopt the system of surface drainage the international code flag A. A customs noti which although on the face of it, and indeed fication
be used for hospital purposes, the city is not on this subject was generally speaking, less healthy than the other, yesterday.
published inclined to make the improvements suggested, appears to be better suited to an island built up
as the park would not be available for popular on sand, where there is constant sinking of the substrata.
ACCIDENTS.
A blasting accident occurred on the 20th inst, on the railway, and was unfortunately attended with the losses of two lives, and injuries to ten persons. Explosions, on a large or small scale. are, however, not infrequent where Chinese are concerned. On Wednesday a chapel in course of construction in the Sze Pai Lau collapsed, and several people were injured, so that there seems to be "bad joss" at work during this month. It is just a year since the great gunpowder explosion at Wing Chai, which attracted a good deal of attention at the time.
OFFICIALDOM,
News in the political world is scarce. There are vague rumours that the Viceroy will not remain till the end of the year, but in this case I think "the wish is father to the thought." Among officials Shum lacks popularity. One of his victims, the ex-Namhoi, fled last week from the country to escape the fate which was impending over him.
ΑΜΟΥ.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
Amoy, 27th April.
OBITUARY.
The death of Dr. J. McN. Howie at Chang. poo on the 18th inst. of consumption robbed the English Presbyterian Mission of a worker of sterling worth and of unusual ability. Dr. Howie had been for some years in Chang-poo, a town between 30 and 40 miles from Amoy, where his medical advice and skill were much appreciated by the patients who visited his hospital from far and near. He fought long and pluckily against the disease which finally claimed its victim, and showed the real grit that was in him by sticking to his work to the last. A wife and two children are left to mourn his loss. It is not simply 'his patients and his friends that knew him best that have their hearts filled with sorrow at his death. The native community have been so touched by his self-denial and by the love he has shown in his treatment of the suffering that in every home nearly in Chang-poo and the country round about men speak of him with the highest admiration.
CONCERT,
By kind permission of Rear-Admiral Grenet, his band from the Vettor Pisani gave a concert in the Club Theatre last evening. It is very seldom that Amoy residents have an opportunity of listening to first-rate performances of this kind, and no doubt the Club Theatre would have been filled on this occasion, but unfortunately the weather conditions were not all that they might have been, and this kept many away from hearing the best music we have had in Amoy for a long time. The audience listened with evident pleasure to the skilful rendering of an excellent programme, and showed by their applause their appreciation of the good music they were treated to. The proceeds of the concert were devoted to the Amoy Chinese Hospital.
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NAVAL ITEMS.
S.M.S. Thetis left for Shanghai on the 18th inst. 8.M.S. Tiger, which arrived from Foochow on the 19th inst., left for Hongkong on Monday last. Arrivals are the Italian cruiser Vettor Pisani, with Rear-Admiral Grenet on board, and the Marco Polo, both vessels from Woosung. latter yesterday. the former arriving on the 22nd inst. and the
MANILA NOTES,
THE LUKBAN CASE.
has Judge Winthrop
handed down his decision in the case of the United States v. Vicente Lukban and Cayetano Lukban. The of the indictment. "He sentenced the defendants court found them guilty in the manner and form
thousand dollars each, and between them to pay td five years' imprisonment each, a fine of one the cost of the prosecution.
Court sud were
The defendants appealed to the Supreme
admitted to bail in the sum of eight thousand dollars each.
Dr. Justo Lukban, practising at Wyndham Street, Hongkong, is a brother of the two défendants, and, it will be remembered, is accused of giving Ricarte, the Filipino outlaw, money to assist him to return to the Philippines The Supreme Court proceedings will be interesting.
A LAKE LANAO GUNBOAT.
Mr. D. Trumbull, engineer for Fainham, Boyd and Company, is going to Mindanao to superintend the setting up of the gu .boat on the lake.
FRANK JOHNSON.
The Veteran army of the Philippines has again come to the front in the matter of looking after its soldier dead. It has been informed that one of its members, Frank Johnson, died at the legation hospital in Canton several weeks ago, and efforts will be made to have the remains returned to his home in the United States. Johnson was formerly engineer of the fire de partment at Manila, and was member of Law. tor Post, No. 1, V.A P. He came to the islands is a member of the 1st Washington Volunteers in 1898, and when that regiment was returned home he cast his lot among those who had decided to remain in the Orient. Later he went to Canton, where he was employed as an engineer on the Canton-Hankow railroad
CUSTOMS APPEALS.
Several important decisions have just been handed down by the Court of Customs Appeals, One of the decisions deals with a protest made by the firm of Messrs, Warner, Barnes and Company against classification made of a steam separator. The separator had been classed “ other machinery and detached paris not other wise provided for." The court held that a separator used in a sawmill was not dutiable under the rules as it is sawmill machinery.
HE MOLE CASE.
88
C. M. Hulet, charged with being one of the parties who had committed fraud upon the Government in the acceptance and purchase of mules for the use of Manila City, pleaded not guilty. The arrests in the case were made some months ago, when it was stated that four mulet in a lot of thirty-six that were inspected and
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use,
SUPREME COURT.
Monday, 25th April.
IN ORIGINAL JURISDICTION.
BEFORE HIS HONOUR SIR WILLIAM M. GOODMAN (CHIEF JUSTICE.)
CLAIM AGAINST HANKOW MERCHANT. Chan Yuk Chuen, merchant, 48 Bonham Strand, claimed under a writ of foreign attach- ment the sum of $5318 due by Cheang Yu Hong, merchant, Hankow. Mr. M. W. Ślade, barrister-at-law (instructed by Mr. F. B. Deacon, of Messrs. Deacon, Looker & Deacon, solicitors),
appeared for the plaintiff.
His Lordship asked if there had been a writ of summons served on the defendant?
Mr. Slade answered No; the
of ser- expense ving a writ at Hankow was so great.
His Lordship remarked that it was not usual to begin on a writ of foreign attachment in that
way.
Mr. Slade admitted that it was unusual. But in this particular case they had told the defen- dant by letter that they were going to attach his property, so he knew all about it-he knew everything.
His Lordship-You are proceeding under Section 469 ?
Mr. Slade Yes. Continuing, he said that on 23rd July, 1903, defendant owed plaintiff in. respect of transactions between them a balance of 19.211 taels. Between that date and the 11th September plaintiff sold goods for the defendant to the value of 15,382 taels and retained the proceeds. Deducting these proceeds from the original sum due there was still dne 3829 taels, equal to $5318. It appeared that the plaintiff acted as agent for defendant here in Hongkong since about 1890, and very large transactions had passed between them. In the middle of last year the account between the parties stood at 19,211 taels in favour of the plaintiff. In July plaintiff sent in an account to the defendant showing the state of the account between the parties. On receiving this account the defend- ant in reply wrote a letter in which he admitted that he owed money to the plaintiff though he did not specifically mention the amount, but asked for time and suggested that the amoun of goods in the hands of the defendant would be enough to settle the account and leave a balance in his favour; if that did not turn out to be so he hoped, they would give him time to pay off the balance due. As a matter of fact it turned out that these goods when sold were not sufficient to pay off the whole of this sum of 19,211 taels; the balance outstanding was now being sued for in this action.
Lam Li Kok, manager of the Yee Shun firm of which plaintiff is sole partner, proved the account.
Li Yu Mui, garnishes, deposed that he was in possession of 2881 taels belonging to the defendant.
His Lordship gave judgment for the plaintiff with costs, and directed that execution be issued against the whole of the property attached.
J